Broadcast Outage: We're investigating a broadcast transmission failure affecting the San Luis Valley from Antonito in the south to Salida in the north. We're working to resolve this issue. You can stream our live broadcast HERE or via the RMPBS+ App.

Stream live and on-demand content now on our new app:
RMPBS+

Help tell more stories in 2026 - make a year-end gift!

Give Now
Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers show's poster
Science and Nature
Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers

Jill Tarter: Carl Sagan Contacted Me

Scientists are just like everyone else -they've got secrets. So who knows what happens when the lab coats come off? Actually, we do. And now you can too. In this series of short, web-exclusive videos, you'll meet intriguing scientists and engineers, and learn about their surprising lives outside the proverbial lab.

Jill Tarter: Carl Sagan Contacted Me

Season 2014 Episode 43 | 3m 23s

Jill Tarter is an astronomer and the Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI Research at the SETI Institute in California. SETI stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence and that's exactly what Jill's been doing for almost her entire professional life. She was also the basis for the main character in Carl Sagan's novel "Contact" and the character played by Jodie Foster in the film adaptation.

Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers

Watch more episodes

See more
See more
Funding for The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers is provided by Winton Capital.

Subscribe to Our Newsletters

Get trusted Colorado stories, programs, and events from Rocky Mountain PBS straight to your inbox.

Set Your Preferences >