This week’s interview is with Ben Haldeman.
Jessica Barton: What is your job title?
Ben Haldeman: Lead Senior Design Engineer
JB: What does your work at LCOGT involve?
BH: I design mechanical and electrical systems and work with the integration of these systems with software. I develop our production tools - working with our fabricators, suppliers, assemblers, and procurement team to reinvent how we produce LCOGT’s products. I have designed a variety of products on the 1.0-meter telescope including, much of the truss and secondary focus mechanism, the baffle system, and much of the instrument including the instrument housing, filter wheel, shutter, and autoguider mechanism. I have also worked on a variety of projects with the instrumentation on the 2m0 and 04m telescopes. I traveled frequently to Hawaii and Australia during my first several years at LCOGT, but have since focused more on design and production.
JB: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself - your education, interests, past work experiences.
BH: I’m from Pennsylvania and did my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Penn State University. I went to UC Berkeley for my Masters degree and thesis work towards a PhD in mechanical engineering. My thesis work involved the design of a microfluidic optical instrument that uses capillary electrophoresis for amino acid detection. A future iteration of the instrument is planned for a 2013 European Space Agency mission to Mars. I left Berkeley in 2005 for the unique opportunity to be one of the first engineers to join LCOGT.
JB: What led you to the career or job you are doing now?
BH: I like to think logically and solve problems. I’m always looking for better ways of doing things. I enjoy working on complex projects.
JB: What is a typical day at work like?
BH: I spend more than half of my time on the computer designing or supporting a variety of projects. I like being hands-on with my products to learn all the intricacies of fabrication, assembly, maintenance, and end use.
JB: What advice would you offer people wanting to go into the type of work you do?
BH: Engineering is all in the details. We work on complicated projects and it is not about who finds the problems, it is about who finds the solutions. I like to take every opportunity to learn about the process and find the best solutions. At LCOGT, I am fortunate to work with a very talented group of people and I enjoy learning from these experts. I like to be thorough with my job, listen to advice, and go out of my way to make other people’s jobs easier.
JB: What do you do in your spare time?
BH: I enjoy pushing my mind and body in the outdoors. I have raced the Hawaii Ironman multiple times, was a professional cyclist, raced at the Olympic trials, am a four time collegiate national champion, and have won multiple ultramarathon running races. I am an accomplished speed climber, rock climber, and mountain climber; I have climbed on 5 continents and spent many nights hanging on the side of 3000 ft rock walls.
I enjoy home improvement and involvement with real estate. I am the co-founder and CEO of a real estate investment company and enjoy working with our team of contractors, property managers, realtors, and brokers.
JB: Thanks Ben!