Experience

CAREER

Scientific & Technical Communication

Serves as creative director for identifying, conceptualizing and translating complex scientific concept into informational products for media and public, Possesses a broad suite of interdisciplinary skills in understanding and communication the effective use of imaging, science illustration, video animation and production to foster effective science communication to the public. Author of numerous popular science articles, a children’s book, and popular astronomy book.

Media Relations

Strategize and oversee international program of news and information for a major government science project. Work closely with broadcast journalists, reporters, and publishers in meeting their informational needs. Plan and coordinate major national news events. Demonstrate strategic planning skill for media communications, story placement, and international media relations. Track record of flexibility and ability manage a team to meet deadlines in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. Provide leadership collaboration among NASA great observatory missions

Program Management

Oversee program planning, scheduling and resource allocation for major initiatives in the public communication of science. Provide leadership, creative vision and strategic vision for effectively utilizing a team of writers, animators, illustrators and imaging specialists to execute an ongoing program of news and information for the public. Multitask the team for parallel news products and services.

Science Education

Develop and teach a variety of courses and public seminars on science topics. Audiences range from college level classes to continuing education and science enrichment programs, and public seminars and lectures. Over 24 years of college classroom teaching experience. This has been invaluable in building a broad and skill set for meeting public informational needs in science communication.

Science Museum Outreach

Wrote and produced public planetarium programs for a major and innovative planetariums. Planned, scripted and executed complex audiovisual programs on topics in astronomy. Pioneered innovative planetarium imaging display technology, the precursor of today’s all-dome video system. Developed elementary school and high school educational programs for use in the planetarium and science museum environment. Wrote numerous freelance planetarium programs for major theaters.

EXPERIENCE

Space Telescope Science Institute

News Chief, Outreach Programs Division (OPO) 1994-present

Public Information Officer,

Educational and Public Affairs Office (EPA) 1988-1994

Media Services Officer Public Affairs Office (PAO) 1986-1988

Maryland Science Center, Baltimore MD

Planetarium Producer, audiovisual imaging supervisor 1976-1986

Astronomy Magazine

Associate Editor 1974-1976

Boston Museum of Science

Planetarium Scriptwriter,

Education course developer 1973-1974

Concurrent Employment

the John Hopkins University School of Continuing Studies

Instructor, Odyssey Program, Evergreen Program 1988 - Present 1984-present

Howard Community College, Columbia MD

Adjunct Professor, Introductory Astronomy 1980-present

Maryland Space Grant Consortium

Instructor for teacher enrichment courses 2000 -2003

EDUCATION

Photographic Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology (1968-69)

B.A. Communication Arts, State University of New York at Albany (1972)

M.S. Science Communication, Boston University (1974)

Select Publications

“Do Asteroids Have Moons”

Star & Sky, June 1980

“The Incredible Shrinking Universe”

Star & Sky, June 1980

“From Idea to Observation, the Space Telescope at Work,”

Astronomy, June 1989

“The World’s Biggest Star Catalog,”

Sky and Telescope, December 1989

“The Science Mission of the Hubble Space Telescope,”

Vistas of Astronomy, February 1990

“The Hubble Space Telescope: Problems and Solutions,”

Mercury, October 1990

“Galaxies: Building Block of the Universe,”

Odyssey Magazine, May 1995

“From Failure to Fame, the Hubble Space Telescope,”

Modern Astronomy, June 1997

“Space Telescope,”

McGraw Hill 1998 Science and Technology Yearbook

“Hubble’s Technicolor Universe”

Sky and Telescope Magazine, October 2001

“Unveiling the Dark Universe”

Astronomy Magazine, November 2002

Select Publications (continued)

“The Local Group: Our Universe in a Nutshell”

Astronomy Magazine, November 2003

“The Genesis Planet”

Astronomy Magazine, June 2004

“Did NASA Fake the Moon Landing?”

Astronomy Magazine, July 2004

“Beyond Hubble, The Very Large Space Telescope”

Astronomy Magazine, November 2004

“The Lucifer Planets”

Astronomy Magazine, January 2005

“SS433: The Light Fantastic”

Astronomy Magazine, March 2005

Science Books

“Large Telescope Inside and Out”

Technology Blueprints of Future Series, Power Plus Books, Rosen Publishing Group, 2001

"Infinite Worlds: An Illustrated Voyage to Planets Beyond Our Sun”

University of California Press, 2005

“Changes Within Physical Systems and/or Conservation of Energy and Momentum: An Anthology of Current Thought”

Rosen Publishing Group, 2005

Scentific Papers

"A Scheme for Targeting Optical SETI Observations," Seth Shostak, Ray Villard, Bioastronomy 2002: Life Among the Stars, IAU Symposium No. 213, ed. R. P. Norris and F. H. Stootman (ASP, San Francisco), 2002, p. 409.

Science Contributor

Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia (1996-1998)

Earth & Sky Radio Series (1994-1999)

Stardate radio series (1989-1998)

Final Frontier magazine (1986-99)

Star & Sky Magazine (1978-81)

contact me at rvillard@gmail.com