John MacKenty

(STScI)

Like his colleague Jesús Maíz-Apellániz, John MacKenty already knew at an early age what he wanted to do with his life. In 4th grade he decided to become either an physicist or an astronomer. It turned out to be the latter. MacKenty studied at Harvard University and and obtained his PhD from the University of Hawaii. Afterwards he returned to the East Coast (he grew up in Scarsdale, NY, and Martha's Vineyard, MA). He is currently working as an observational astronomer and instrumentalist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Maryland, specialising on host galaxies of Active Galactic Nuclei as well as instrument development. In his spare time he enjoys sailing and racing large sailboats.