Biographical Background on Jim Plaxco
Jim Plaxco has held a life long interest in astronomy, space exploration, and computer graphics. His interest in space exploration is embodied on the Internet with his Astrodigital family of web sites, for which he is the creator and webmaster. His introduction to computer art came in 1983 with a graduate level course in Computer Graphics. He subsequently combined his interest in image processing and computer graphics with his interest in space exploration and planetary science by creating his own graphics to serve as illustrations for his presentations.
Jim created the "Mars Art Gallery" as an outgrowth of his presentation "Mars As Art" in which he explores the techniques of image processing and its application to images returned to Earth by the various robotic missions to Mars including Mariner 9, the Viking orbiter and lander missions, Mars Pathfinder, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, and the Mars Exploration Rovers.
Jim is also a Solar System Ambassador for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). As such he makes frequent presentations on a variety of space related subjects in the northern Illinois area.
Other organizations with which Jim is currently affiliated:
- Member, International Association of Astronomical Artists
- Member, National Association of Photoshop Professionals
- Vice President and Director, Chicago Society for Space Studies
Previous affiliations include:
- Vice President, National Space Society
- President, Northern Illinois Space Advocacy
- Vice President and Webmaster, Planetary Studies Foundation
- Program Director, Science Learning Center, Palatine, IL
- Board of Advisors, Harper College Center for Meteorite and Planetary Studies
- Editor, Planetary Studies Foundation PSF NEWS
- Editor, SPACEWATCH, monthly journal of the Chicago Society for Space Studies
- Member, American Geophysical Union