Hi! I'm Tania

Well, who am I and what do I do?

Good question, and one I'm trying to decide for myself. I've had a few job changes, but I've remained through it all loyal to science, as I am a true and proud geek (but you know this, if you've seen my web page links). But my younger dreams of acting nip at me from time to time. I currently perform, as a hologram, at the National Space Centre in Leicester, UK.

I went to North Hagerstown High Schoolin Hagerstown, Maryland (click here for my unhappy thoughts on growing up there). I've been around the world and back again and find, ironically and humbly enough, that I miss the place. Time heals most wounds.

I have a Bachelor's degree in Astrophysics from Harvard University, a ridiculously difficult place to grow up. I'm still trying to recover some sense of self, but that's another story. While at Harvard, I pursued an unofficial minor in archaeology. My interests are in the study of the monuments of stone built during the Neolithic period in Great Britain and their possible astronomical uses. That's me at my college graduation where I wore a scaled model of Stonehenge as it looked in its final phase. On my wrist, I strapped the Heel Stone and the 1979 posthole stone, so that I could line myself up with the Sun all day and pass the boring hours of the graduation ceremony. Yup, I'm a geek.

After graduation, I landed a job as a full time astronomer and, later, writer at theHarvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. I worked on X-ray data from the ROSAT and Einstein X-ray telescopes studying weird galaxies, clusters of galaxies, and the occasional normal galaxy. Later, I designed and implemented an education curriculum which teaches children to use the tools of scientific inquiry as everyday tools for learning.

I also found work at the Center for Archaeoastronomy as a consultant and editor, and I have helped authors, museums, IMAX producers, and newspapers around the world in the often poorly represented field of archaeoastronomy. I edited the Archaeology and Ethnoastronomy Newsletter, and act as an educational consultant. Currently, I remain as webmaster and I help with layout for print publications.

I dipped into corporate work for a short time, but found that I didn't dress correctly, didn't know the jargony lingo, and I certainly didn't have enough ego to survive it. The experience was fascinating, even if it did forever change the way I work with people.

I spent over three years as an education associate at the Boston Museum of Science in its Current Science and Technology Center. I worked hard, way too hard, because it was the best job in the world. But the place suffered from a culture of mediocrity that I could not comprehend. I decided to move on and get the hell out of politically wet New England at the same time. The decision ended up moving me completely across the ocean to England.

I came to promote professional archaeoastronomy with the wonderful Professor Clive Ruggles at the University of Leicester and ended up with a full time job as the Manager of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Science. I survived for just over two years in that insane environment before resigning.

I then managed a grant I got while at Leicester for programmes in support of women in sci-tech and wrote an ebook on women in these fields.

After the book was done, I got a job at the National Space Centre in Leicester. What fun I had! It was hard work, as I landed just as a new gallery was being developed. I got to do all sorts of work, from writing a new exhibition and web encyclopedia to filming as a holographic host for the new 3D stage. I loved that job and the team I was on, and I miss them all terribly.

Now, I'm still working for Clive publishing books and other resources on archaeoastronomy. And I'm co-authoring a science fiction novel with Professor Jack Cohen of the "Science of Discworld" novels. And I volunteer at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Florida. I like to keep a diverse portfolio, because my brain needs to keep busy.

Who Shares My Life?

My husband, Ken, shares my life. He's a remarkably clever and loving man who is not afraid to be silly. He is an electrician by training, but works as a service engineer. He enjoys science fiction, ancient ruins, and anything IT. We have many adventures together, and he is my rock and my pillow, and a very funny man. Marriage has been quite a learning experience for me, but even through my ups and downs, my love for this man continues to grow stronger. How sappy is that, huh? Here's a photo of us in Harlech, Wales, on Ken's Triumph Speed Triple.

Two cats shared my life before I left the States. I had a really cute, if somewhat awkward, Maine Coon male cat named Tolman "Littlest of Ones" Gamgee Cat, otherwise known as Fearsome, Mr. Grumpy, Kashinah, and The One. His hobbies were puking, purring, and sulking in his Shaolin Temple. I had another equally adorable Maine Coon female named Purpugilliam Silvermist of Idlemaine Moon Coon Cat, otherwise known as The Two, Teetah, Wiggles, and Gozer the Destructor. Her hobbies are eating things, destroying things, cooing, and "helping". Both went to live separately, which made them happier, with very close friends of mine who took them in with love and affection. Sadly, the One passed away in 2007 of renal failure, and he is greatly missed.

My comedic companion is a small bear creatively named "Teddy". His travel history is impressive.

Hobbies, Anyone?

I read as much as time allows, and I write when I am not completely stressed out. I've started an SF/fantasy novel based on my studies about stone circles. Also, I have a couple of other science fiction novels started all based on a single character, and a satirical SF short story begun, and a resurrected Doctor Who novel I started when I was a teenager. I was in a science fiction writer's group with SFWA Grand Master, the late Hal Clement, and author Ramona Louise Wheeler. We recently were published together in a festschrift for Hal called Hal's Worlds.

I used to sew, making costumes from my favorite historic periods or of science fiction characters from Babylon 5, Doctor Who and Star Wars. But I no longer have places to go where I can dress like that. Sniff.

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