Stephen M. Pompea is an Adjunct Associate Astronomer at Steward Observatory, University of Arizona. He has served as an Associate Scientist on the Gemini 8-Meter Telescopes Project and as Instrument Scientist for the NICMOS (Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer) Project for the Hubble Space Telescope. His major research interests include star formation processes in galaxies, development of ultrablack surfaces for space telescopes, adaptive and active optics, telescope and instrument design, and stray light and contamination issues in optical systems. He is the inventor of Infrablack, a surface that is one of the world's blackest from the ultraviolet to the submillimeter region and is used to reduce glare in space telescopes. Dr. Pompea has served as an educational consultant to NASA, the Denver Museum of Natural History, the state of Nebraska, and the Denver and Houston public school districts, as well as a number of private schools and curriculum programs. He has given numerous workshops devoted to improving science teaching and to the training of secondary school and college science faculty. Dr. Pompea is also well known for his Galileo historical drama presentations delivered in full costume.
