RYAN WYATT “Kitchen Sink” Vitae
1655 Mission Street · Unit 846 · San Francisco, CA 94103
ryan.j.wyatt@gmail.com

EMPLOYMENT Senior Director of Morrison Planetarium and Science Visualization (April 2007–present)
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California
  • Served on Academy’s Senior Leadership Team, 2015–2020 (until disbanded)
  • Wrote and directed the Academy’s eight award-winning planetarium shows: Fragile Planet (2008), Life: A Cosmic Story (2010), Earthquake: Evidence of a Restless Planet (2012), Habitat Earth (2015), Incoming! (2016), Expedition Reef (2018), Big Astronomy (2020), and Living Worlds (2021)
  • Supervise creation of visualizations for the planetarium, stereoscopic theater, and exhibits
  • Supervise presenter team for planetarium, stereoscopic theater, and astronomical programming in various spaces around the Academy
  • Act as a resource for digital planetarium technology and production
    • Served on 2017 jury for the Fulldome Festival Brno
    • Served on advisory panel for AMNH space shows, Journey to the Stars (2009) and Dark Universe (2013)
    • Served on the 2007 awards committee and 2008, 2009, and 2012 juries for DomeFest
  • Interface with technology and visual effects communities in the Bay Area
    • Serving on CENIC Program Committee
  • Served on 2020 Strategic Task Force, developing purpose, mission, and vision for the institution
  • Lead institutional VR/AR/MR strategic planning group
  • Curate monthly Benjamin Dean Astronomy Lecture Series
  • Interface with astronomical community and interpret research, including managing content for the Morrison Planetarium Facebook page and Universe Update news site
  • Supervised implementation of audio-visual hardware and software and non-enterprise information technology during the reopening of the Academy

Science Visualizer, Rose Center for Earth and Space (March 2001–April 2007)
American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York
  • Interfaced with astronomical community and interpreted research
  • Provided visualizations for space-show production
    • Worked with researchers and technical directors to produce visualizations for Cosmic Collisions (2006)
    • Wrote and directed “Cosmic Collisions” pre-show high-definition video that loops Q&A, then introduces the show to all visitors
    • Assisted in integrating more than a dozen researchers’ work into The Search for Life (2002)
  • Integrated visualizations into educational programs
    • Wrote and advised for “Astro-Viz” segments featured in NASA-supported AstroBulletins program, distributed to several dozen science centers and museums worldwide
    • Wrote and directed regular “Mars Update” high-definition video loop—used as walk-in for all Hayden Planetarium space shows and played on NASA TV
    • Wrote and directed “Sunscapes” high-definition video segment
  • Brought expertise and production skills to education programs
    • Organizing Committee member, “Seeing the Universe” NASA Explorer Institute held at the American Museum of Natural History in February 2005
    • Worked with exhibition design on the “Discovering the Universe” Moveable Museum program
    • Curatorial Consultant, Educators Guide for the “Discovering the Universe” Moveable Museum
    • Project Team member, Educators Guide for the “The Search for Life” space show
  • Taught Hayden Planetarium courses and programs
    • Regular presenter at monthly “Virtual Universe” program
    • Instructor for “Relativity 101” (Fall 2005), “Scientific Revolution” (Spring 2005, Winter 2004, and Fall 2002), “Astronomy, Art, and Perception” (Winter 2005), and “Stars, Constellations, and Legends” (Fall 2004)
    • Co-instructor for “Galaxies and Cosmology” (Spring 2005), “Hidden in Plain Sight” (Winter 2005), “Envisioning the Virtual Universe” (Fall 2003 and Fall 2002), and “From Einstein to Hawking” (Spring 2003)
  • Acted as a resource for digital planetarium technology and production
  • Fostered relationships within the planetarium community, helped establish show distribution

Director of Theaters, LodeStar Astronomy Center (November 1999–February 2001)
LodeStar Project, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Performed duties of director of astronomy-oriented science center
    • Oversaw day-to-day operation of 6,000 square feet of exhibits, planetarium, motion simulator, and gift shop
    • Directly supervised four area managers, with two additional full-time and approximately fifteen part-time co-workers
    • Acted as liaison between New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (host institution) and the University of New Mexico (administrating institution)
  • Developed media for fulldome video in new planetarium
    • Wrote and produced debut program, which opened in March 2000

Manager, Dorrance Planetarium (November 1996–November 1999)
Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Managed two full-time and three part-time people, plus one volunteer
    • Focus on developing creative team, giving each member performance, problem-solving, and production roles
  • Wrote and produced all planetarium shows—including five original feature shows from October 1997 through July 1999
    • Reviewed content with science center planetarium committee and outside advisors
    • Developed imagery with in-house production staff, supervising and creating still graphics and animations
    • Oversaw audio production, including work with narrators Hugh Downs and Michael York
    • Commissioned and advised on original musical scores
    • Streamlined final multimedia programming, including Spice, Interactive, and Digistar software components
    • Integrated live and interactive portions to differentiate experience from large-format film venue
  • Co-wrote and -produced portions of “Destination Moon” with Houston Museum of Natural Science
  • Took de facto lead in all planetarium troubleshooting, including Evans & Sutherland and Sky-Skan hardware and software
  • Media contact (radio, TV, and print) for astronomical events and planetarium-related activities
  • Produced televised public-service announcements for planetarium shows
  • Prepared and administrated annual planetarium budget
  • Served on science center’s grants-review committee
  • Organized 1999 DesertSkies regional planetarium conference and 1999 Digistar Users Group meeting

Manager, Burke Baker Planetarium (August 1993–November 1996)
Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, Texas
  • Managed planetarium staff of six part-time operators and laserists
  • Wrote and produced all planetarium shows—including five original feature shows
  • Developed “Destination Mars” planetarium show, exhibit, and curriculum with NASA’s Johnson Space Center
  • Co-investigator on “Creating the Public Connection” NASA grant NAG5-2689
  • Prepared and administrated annual planetarium budget
  • Developed and maintained Museum’s website and electronic mail server
  • Maintained MicroVAX, SPARCstation 1, and Digistar I Graphics Processor and Projector
  • Operated Museum’s 16–inch telescope (Brown Observatory)

Planetarium Instructor (August 1995–May 1996)
Houston Independent School District, Houston, Texas
  • Taught daily 4th– and 7th–grade classes in planetarium
  • Interim, part-time position alternating with managerial duties at planetarium

Planetarium Operator / Lecturer (March 1991–July 1993)
Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, Texas
  • Performed live and taped planetarium shows—including weekly “Stars of the Season” night-sky talk
  • Programmed Digistar laser-show and astronomy effects and acquired traditional production techniques
  • Edited and wrote scripts for astronomy features

Research / Teaching Assistant (August 1990–July 1993)
Rice University, Houston, Texas
  • Reduced and analyzed wide-band Hubble Space Telescope data
  • System manager of SPARCstation 2 (pre-Solaris) used for image-processing
  • Teaching assistant for 300–level class in observational astronomy techniques—from small telescopes to IRAF

Teacher Mentor (Summers 1991–92)
Rice University, Houston, Texas
  • Introduced junior- and senior-high-school instructors to astronomy research, data reduction and analysis
  • Scheduled and assisted in wide-band CCD observations at local 36–inch telescope (George Observatory)

Research Assistant (Summer / Winter Breaks 1987–89)
Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
  • Infrared data reduction and analysis for SIRTF / NICMOS groups
  • Performed detector testing, electronics construction and repair

Art Director (October 1986–June 1990)
Visions Magazine, Ithaca, New York
  • Selected artwork, executed drawings, and designed layout for independent college magazine
  • Worked with artists, graphic designers, marketing staff, and print shops

Writer / Cartoonist (August 1986–June 1990)
Cornell Daily Sun, Ithaca, New York
  • Wrote approximately 70 reviews, features, and news articles—as well as a daily comic strip for one year

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

OTHER ACTIVITIES

WRITING AND
PUBLICATIONS

EDUCATION Master of Science Program, Space Physics and Astronomy (August 1990–July 1993)
Rice University, Houston, Texas

Bachelor of Arts, Astronomy (August 1986–August 1990)
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

COMPUTER SKILLS
  • Fluency on Macintosh, Unix, and Linux systems
  • Virtuoso pilot on OpenSpace, Uniview, Partiview, and DigitalSky interfaces to Hayden Planetarium’s Digital Universe
  • Expertise in 2D design software, including Adobe Photoshop and and Adobe Illustrator
  • HTML authoring and web page design and maintenance

REFERENCES Available upon request.