Travis S. Taylor
Travis S. Taylor | |
---|---|
Born | Decatur, Alabama, USA | July 24, 1968
Education | Auburn University (B.E.E.) University of Western Sydney (MS) University of Alabama, Huntsville (MS, PhD, MSE, PhD) |
Scientific career | |
Institutions | United States Department of Defense NASA |
Thesis | Laboratory simulation of atmospheric turbulence induced optical wavefront distortion (1999) |
Travis Shane Taylor (born July 24, 1968) is an American scientist, engineer, science fiction writer, and the star of National Geographic Channel's Rocket City Rednecks which aired 2011–2013. Taylor has written numerous technical papers, science fiction novels, and two textbooks. He has appeared in television documentaries including NGC's When Aliens Attack and is one of the primary investigative scientists on History Channel's The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.
Early life
[edit]Travis Shane Taylor was born on July 24, 1968, in Decatur, Alabama in North Alabama. His father, Charles Taylor, worked as a machinist at Wyle Laboratories, which subcontracted for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1960s.[1] As a boy, Taylor read science fiction and dismantled household electronics.[1] While in high school, Taylor's family moved to Somerville, near Huntsville.[1] At 17 years old, with the help of his neighbor, he built a radio telescope that won the state science fair.[2] This led the Army to offer Taylor a job working at Redstone Arsenal on directed energy weapons systems directly out of high school as well as a scholarship.[1]
Education
[edit]Taylor earned a B.S. in electrical engineering from Auburn University in 1991, before going on to study at University of Alabama, Huntsville where he earned a MS in physics in 1994, a PhD in optical science and engineering in 1999, and a MSE in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 2001. He then completed a MS in astronomy in 2004 at the University of Western Sydney before earning a second PhD from University of Alabama, Huntsville in aerospace engineering in 2012.[3][4] [5]
Career
[edit]By 2006, Taylor had worked on various programs for the United States Department of Defense and NASA for over sixteen years.[3] He has researched several advanced propulsion concepts, very large space telescopes, space-based beamed energy systems, high-energy lasers,[6] and next generation space launch concepts.[3] Taylor has also been involved with Human intelligence (HUMINT),[7] Imagery intelligence (IMINT),[8] Signals intelligence (SIGINT)[9] and Measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT)[8] concept studies.[3]
Taylor was the chief scientist on the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF).[10] He is also a Principal Research Scientist at Radiance Technologies.[11]
Science fiction
[edit]According to Taylor, after he expressed his dissatisfaction with space opera and the comparative dearth of recent hard science fiction, he was challenged by his wife to write his first book, and studied Robert A. Heinlein's works for stylistic influence.[12] His first novel, Warp Speed, was published in 2004.[13] By 2020, Taylor had published 14 science fiction novels.[14]
Personal life
[edit]Taylor and his wife have two children, and they live in Somerville, Alabama.[1]
Television
[edit]Taylor first appeared in episodes of The Universe and Life After People for the History Channel in 2010, after his name came up in a search regarding space warfare.[15] Taylor was then on National Geographic Channel's When Aliens Attack in 2011.[16]
In the summer of 2011, the National Geographic Channel announced[17][18] a new series called Rocket City Rednecks which features Taylor. The first episode showed in September 2011.[19] A self-proclaimed 'redneck rocket scientist', Taylor focuses on 'hillbilly ingenuity' for the show's backyard science experiments, aided by his family and best friend, who are all machinists and inventors.[2][20] The show ran for two seasons, from September 2011 to January 2013.[21][22]
In 2015, he hosted the series "3 Scientists Walk into a Bar", which had four episodes in 2015.[23] From 2017 he appeared on the History Channel show Ancient Aliens, starting in the Season 12 episode "Voices of the Gods," and following with appearances in 28 episodes through season 18. Additional History Channel appearances were on The Tesla Files and The Curse of Oak Island in 2019. Taylor, along with principal investigator Erik Bard, leads a History Channel series focusing on mysteries titled The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch, in which they investigate potentially anomalous phenomena. On other networks, he appeared in episodes of In Search of Monsters and NASA's Unexplained Files.
Filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Production | Episodes | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009–2010 | The Universe | Self | The History Channel | 6 episodes | [24] |
2010 | Life After People | Self | The History Channel | 5 Episodes | [24] |
2011 | When Aliens Attack | Self | National Geographic Channel | Film | [24] |
2011–2013 | Rocket City Rednecks | Host and producer | National Geographic Channel | 6 Episodes (Producer for 1 episode) | [24] |
2014 | The Independents | Self | Fox Business | Apocalypse Now (2014) | [24] |
2015 | 3 Scientists Walk into a Bar | Host | The Weather Channel | 4 episodes | [24] |
2018 | The Tesla Files | Host | The History Channel | 5 episodes | [24] |
2014–present | The Curse of Oak Island | Self | The History Channel | Rock Solid (2019) | [24] |
2019 | In Search of Monsters | Self | Travel Channel | The Loch Ness Monster (2019) | [24] |
2019 | NASA's Unexplained Files | Self | Science Channel | 5 episodes | [24] |
2021 | America's Book of Secrets | Self | The History Channel | 5 episodes | [24] |
2017–2021 | Ancient Aliens | Self | The History Channel | 23 episodes | [24] |
2019–2021 | The UnXplained | Self | The History Channel | 15 episodes | [24] |
2022 | A Tear in the Sky | Self | Omnium Media | Documentary Film | [24] |
2020–present | The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch([a]) | Self | The History Channel | 27 episodes | [24] |
Bibliography
[edit]Fiction
[edit]Year | Title | Series | Notes | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | Warp Speed | Warp Speed | [13] | |
2005 | The Quantum Connection | Warp Speed | [13] | |
2006 | Von Neumann's Warr | Co-author with John Ringo | [13] | |
2007 | Vorpal Blade | Looking Glass | Co-author with John Ringo | [13] |
2007 | One Day on Mars | Tau Ceti Agenda | [13] | |
2007 | The Tau Ceti Agenda | Tau Ceti Agenda | [13] | |
2008 | Human by Choice | Cresperian | Co-author with Darrell Bain | [13] |
2009 | One Good Soldier | Tau Ceti Agenda | [13] | |
2010 | Back to the Moon | Space Excursion | Co-author with Les Johnson | [13] |
2011 | Extraction Point! | Point | Co-author with Stephanie Osborn | [13] |
2015 | Trail of Evil | Tau Ceti Agenda | [13][25] | |
2016 | On to the Asteroid | Space Excursion | Co-author with Les Johnson | [13] |
2017 | Kill Before Dying | Tau Ceti Agenda | [13] | |
2017 | Moon Beam | Moon Beam | Co-author with Jody Lynn Nye | [13] |
2018 | Bringers of Hell | Tau Ceti Agenda | [13] | |
2019 | Moon Tracks | Moon Beam | Co-author with Jody Lynn Nye | [13] |
2020 | Battle Luna | Co-author with Kacey Ezell, Josh Hayes, Michael Z. Williamson, and Timothy Zahn | [13] | |
2021 | Saving Proxima | Co-author with Les Johnson | [13] | |
2022 | Ballistic | [13] |
Nonfiction books
[edit]Year | Title | publisher | Notes | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | An Introduction to Planetary Defense | Brown Walker Press | Co-author Bob Boan | [13] |
2009 | Introduction to Rocket Science and Engineering | CRC Press | [13] | |
2010 | The Science Behind The Secret | Baen Books | [13] | |
2011 | Alien Invasion | Baen Books | Co-author Bob Boan | [13] |
2012 | A New American Space Plan | Baen Books | Co-author Stephanie Osburn | [13] |
2019 | Introduction to Laser Science and Engineering | CRC Press | [26] |
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ Alternative title "The Curse of Skinwalker Ranch" depending on region
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Ben Bartley, "Dr. Travis S. Taylor: Attempting to Understand Auburn’s Ubermensch", The War Leader, June 21, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ a b Meet the Ringleader of 'Rocket City Rednecks' | Space.com, http://www.space.com/13114-rocket-city-rednecks-travis-taylor-interview.html. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Taylor, Travis S.; Boan, Bob; Anding, R.C.; Powell, T. Conley (2006). An Introduction to Planetary Defense: A Study of Modern Warfare Applied to Extra-Terrestrial Invasion (PDF). BrownWalker Press. p. 9. ISBN 1-58112-447-3.
- ^ Alumni Author Spotlight: Travis Taylor, https://www.uah.edu/library/about/archived-library-events/10359-alumni-author-spotlight-travis-taylor Archived May 11, 2021, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
- ^ "Travis Taylor – Linkedin" (Personal Linkedin profile) https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-taylor-8375915a. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
- ^ Meet the Rocket City Rednecks, [1]. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
- ^ "Video Interview with Travis S. Taylor- Baen Books". Baen.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
- ^ a b Travis S. Taylor (May 8, 2006). "Bio | Travis S. Taylor". Doctravis.com. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
- ^ "Planetary Defense & the The Philadelphia Experiment _ PSI Saturday". No Lies Radio. September 24, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
- ^ Kloor, Keith (June 29, 2022). "Pentagon UFO study led by researcher who believes in the supernatural". Science. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
- ^ "Dr. Travis S. Taylor Joins Radiance Technologies". Yahoo News. April 21, 2022. Archived from the original on July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
- ^ Interview with Travis S. Taylor – Baen Books, "Interview with Travis S. Taylor – Baen Books". Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2012.. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Travis S Taylor". fantasticfiction.com. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
- ^ Dustan, Shona (March 29, 2020). "Experts investigate reports of the paranormal in 'The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch'". Standard=Speaker. Hazleton, Pennsylvania. p. T15.
- ^ Exclusive Interview with Travis Taylor of Nat Geo's Rocket City Rednecks, http://www.tvtango.com/news/detail/id/400/exclusive-interview-with-travis-taylor-of-nat-geos-rocket-city-rednecks. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ Preview: NGC’s “When Aliens Attack” and “Area 51 Declassified”, Channel Guide Magazine – May 20, 2011.
- ^ Lindsay Taub (August 1, 2011). "NatGeo Previews New Shows at TCA Press Tour in Los Angeles". Pamelaspunch.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
- ^ "Rocket City Rednecks – National Geographic Channel – Fall TV Preview 2011 | Channel Guide Magazine". Channelguidemag.zap2it.com. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
- ^ Mike Hale (September 27, 2011), "The Sticks, With Jet Propulsion" (Review), The New York Times,. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ All-New Season, http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/rocket-city-rednecks/. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ Matt Wake, "'Rocket City Rednecks' not renewed for third season, National Geographic Channel spokesperson says", AL.com, April 25, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ Rocket City Rednecks , IMDB. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
- ^ 3 Scientists Walk into a Bar, IMDb.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Travis Taylor (X)". imdb.com. IMDB. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ Sakers, Don (November 2015). "The Reference Library". Analog Science Fiction and Fact. 135 (11): 105–108.
- ^ Taylor, Travis S. (2019). Introduction to Laser Science and Engineering. doi:10.1201/b22159. ISBN 9781315178561. S2CID 201244143. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
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External links
[edit]- Travis S. Taylor on Baen Books (archived)
- An Interview with Travis S. Taylor, Part 1 on YouTube
- Travis S. Taylor at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- Travis S. Taylor at IMDb
- 1968 births
- 20th-century American male writers
- 21st-century American male writers
- 21st-century American novelists
- 21st-century American short story writers
- American male novelists
- American science fiction writers
- American male short story writers
- Auburn University alumni
- Living people
- NASA people
- Participants in American reality television series
- People from Decatur, Alabama
- University of Alabama in Huntsville alumni
- Western Sydney University alumni