Jim Keller

Jim Keller (born 1972) is an educational media producer employed by the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology. Though known as the producer and director of the "Ask an Astronomer" video podcast, Keller has also gained a reputation as a Libertarian speaker and political blogger.

Biography

Keller is the son of a retired U.S. Navy officer and a physics teacher. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he majored in Classics and Theatre, but also took a number of geology and film classes. In his profile on the Spitzer Space Telescope website, Keller states that he had problems with the practical aspects of lab sciences as a child, which led him away from pursuing a career in sciences and instead into the arts. He moved to Los Angeles to become an actor, but subsequently became involved in website design.

Web Video

Keller co-created "Ask an Astronomer" with astronomer Doris Daou in 2002, originally as a series of short videos distributed via the Spitzer Space Telescope website. However, when Apple announced the video iPod in 2005, Keller quickly made the videos available as one of the first video podcasts. "Ask an Astronomer" has been honored by both the Telly Awards and the Aegis Awards.

In 2007, along with animator Tim Pyle (best known for his previous work on "Invader Zim"), Keller co-wrote and co-created an animated short called "M51 and Gizmo" which won the CINE Golden Eagle and the Aegis Award.

Politics

In 2006, Keller ran as a Libertarian for U.S. Congress representing California's 29th congressional district, opposing Democratic incumbent Adam Schiff. ("election results")

In December 2007, Keller announced on his Facebook page that he would not be running for Congress again in 2008, and was instead considering a run for a non-partisan local office.

External links

* [http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ask_astronomer/video/ "Ask an Astronomer"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVeemjx_qsE "M51 and Gizmo"]
* [http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/features/spitzerprofiles/keller_jim.shtml Spitzer Space Telescope Profile]
* [http://jimkeller.livejournal.com/ blog]
* [http://www.votekeller.org/ campaign website]