Kevin Marvel was born at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs in September 1967. Moving throughout his childhood, he ultimately graduated from J.J. Pearce High School in Dallas, Texas. He subsequently attended the University of Arizona, where he received B.S. degrees in Astronomy and Physics with minors in Physics and Mathematics, respectively. He attended New Mexico State University from 1990 to 1996, earning a M.S. in Astronomy in 1994 and a Ph.D. in 1996. In 2006, he received the Distinguished Alumni award from NMSU.s College of Arts and Sciences.

His dissertation research was carried out at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory using the Very Long Baseline Array, a distributed set of 10 antennas spread across the United States from Hawaii to Puerto Rico. Using this telescope, he was able to measure the motions of small radio frequency emitting gas clouds known as masers found around large evolved stars and more accurately determine the distance to several of them with high accuracy. Such measurements help constrain models of stellar evolution and uncover the dynamics of the extended atmospheres of such stars.

Beginning in 1996, he served as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology's Owens Valley Radio Observatory where he helped test and implement a new system to correct for the atmospheric degradation of short wavelength radio waves observed with the millimeter array radio telescope. During his spare time at OVRO he enjoyed fly-fishing, hiking in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains and exploring Death Valley National Park.

In 1998, he accepted a position at the American Astronomical Society as Associate Executive Officer for Public Policy and Employment Policy programs. In 2002 he was named Deputy Executive Officer. His responsibilities have mainly focused on direct lobbying of policy makers as well as managing various smaller programs within the AAS executive office.

In July 2006, he was chosen as Executive Officer and is now responsible for all aspects of Society operations, including the publishing of the primary research journals in Astronomy, the Astrophysical Journal and Astronomical Journal and the organization of the two major annual meetings of the Society and meetings of the Society.s divisions.

He is married to Tamara Koch and lives in Alexandria, VA with their two cats Rhett and Scarlett. They enjoy boating, house renovation and travel. Their favorite vacation is a camping trip at the San Juan River in Northwestern New Mexico, where the fly-fishing is great and the green chile hot.

This is his page...

This was Kevin in an alternate multiverse....

This is his actual appearance IRL.

Although Tamara says that he does own colorful pajamas.

Come see what's up in the sky!

Jason Kendall
Director: Inwood Astronomy Project
NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador to New York City

The Inwood Astronomy Project is thankful for the support of the NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassadors Program, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the New York Public Library, the International Year of Astronomy and the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York


We look up to look within