Jill Tarter

Jill Tarter
Tarter at her home in 2025
Born
Jill Cornell

(1944-01-16) January 16, 1944
EducationCornell University (BS)
University of California, Berkeley (MS, PhD)
Known forSETI research
Spouse(s)C. Bruce Tarter
Jack Welch
Children1 daughter
Scientific career
FieldsRadio astronomy
Thesis The Interaction of Gas and Galaxies within Galaxy Clusters  (1975)
Doctoral advisorJoseph Silk
Websitewww.seti.org/our-scientists/jill-tarter

Jill Cornell Tarter (born January 16, 1944) is an American astronomer best known for her work on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Tarter is the former director of the Center for SETI Research, holding the Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI at the SETI Institute. In 2002, Discover magazine recognized her as one of the 50 most important women in science.