Michael Arida

Employer: S.P. Systems

Job Description: Support Scientist

Mike received his B.S. in Physics in 1991 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [RPI] in Troy, New York. While still an undergraduate, he worked for GTE Sylvania in Towanda, Pennsylvania, conducting research into electroluminescent devices. He later worked for Grumman Aerospace in Princeton, New Jersey, assisting in the design of medium energy particle accelerators.

Pursuing a desire to see the world, Mike joined the U.S. Peace Corps for a two year stint teaching high school Chemistry and Physics in the small central African country of Malawi, home to the ninth largest freshwater lake in the world. He followed this with a 10 month English lecturer position at Academia Istropolitana in Brastislava, Slovak Republic.

Perhaps finally settling down, Mike began working at Goddard in August, 1995 working for the HEASARC, as a member of the ROSAT Guest Observer Facility. Now he works on XMM-Newton, as well as coordinating exhibits for astronomical meetings.