Noah Gilbert
What does your job entail, and what are you currently working on?
My role is generally assembly, integration, and testing for space-rated optical systems. I focus on (pun intended) characterization of free-space optical alignment and metrology. My current workload is centered around assembly planning and analysis for laser communications back-end optical assemblies.
How has your career evolved during your time at the Laboratory?
In 2016, I joined the Laboratory as a contingent worker, doing the day-to-day lab work required to build space-rated optical systems. In 2023, I converted to full-time staff and became more involved with upfront system evaluation, and I started performing more detailed analysis of specific system performance metrics. The shift from largely hands-on lab work to an increased amount of analysis has allowed me to learn new things while continuing to leverage lessons learned from previous hardware builds.
What has been a standout personal achievement in your career at the Laboratory?
Being invited to NASA Kennedy Space Flight Center to watch the launch of the ILLUMA-T payload is a standout personal achievement for me. Many of the LEMNOS team members attended, and we were treated to the awesome experience of being up close to a live rocket launch.
Why do you think the Laboratory is a good fit for you?
The type of work done here exists at the intersection of academia and industry, taking the best of both. The research is novel, the problems to solve are challenging, the impact of the work is measurable, and there is only limited repetition. Both industry and academia lack one or more of these qualities.
Where have you traveled before, and where would you like to visit?
International travel is something I've been doing for a long time. I have traveled to more than a dozen countries spanning four continents, and I have also lived in both Japan and Switzerland. My partner and I just got back from a trip to Mexico to swim with whale sharks, and I think our next big trip will be to see elephants in the wild somewhere in Africa, maybe with another scuba trip in the near term.
What pets, if any, do you have?
We have a dog named Loki and he's a rescue from Georgia we adopted three years ago. He is a mix of several breeds and looks like a border collie with the addition of very fluffy ears, a bit of a mane, and a blue-black spot on his tongue. He's very well-behaved and smart, unless he sees a small furry creature; then, his IQ drops to about 4.
From day to day, where do you find inspiration or motivation?
My motivation comes from simple, serene moments during the day. That ranges from looking out of my backyard window to watch the colors of the sunset reflected on the pond to walking the dog on a dewy, quiet morning.