Contacts

M.S., Physics, Nizhny Novgorod University at Russia

Ph.D. Astrophysics, Space Research Institute, Moscow, Russia

Prior to joining the faculty in Sierra Nevada College in fall 2010, for 33 years Altunin worked in the leading space research institutions in Russia and USA including 3 years in the NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA). Altunin’s primary occupation was astronomy, particularly space astronomy. During his professional years he worked as a researcher and later naturally progressed to the management positions, managing a department at the Russian Physical Institute and being a Project manager for a several space astronomy projects. Altunin is an author and coauthor of more than 50 scientific papers published in the peer reviewed scientific journals and a several chapters in the space related textbooks. Besides teaching with the SNC, in a middle of 1990s Altunin taught a course on Space Science Management in the International Space University (Strasburg, France). He found teaching to be quite enjoyable and a logical path to go after a retirement from the “active” science career.