Physics and Astronomy alum Jeff MacLeod stands in front of a telescope, wearing a NASA hoodie

College to Career spotlight: Alumnus Jeff MacLeod's path from physics and astronomy to engineering

Jeff MacLeod (B.S. Physics, B.S. Astronomy '21) turned his passion for physics and astronomy into a career as an air warfare engineer — but his love for space didn’t stop there. When he’s not working in the defense industry (on projects he can’t really talk about), he’s busy building a life-size simulator and recreating the Gemini space capsule. We caught up with him to talk about his journey from Wayne State to where he is now.

What first sparked your interest in physics and astronomy?

My grandfather introduced me to astronomy when I was 10. He woke me up early one morning to show me Mars and Jupiter and talked about stars and the speed of light. It felt like secret knowledge. Physics came later—I read a lot of Stephen Hawking in high school, but I never considered science as a career at that point.

Why did you choose Wayne State?

I met Jerry Dunnifer at the Warren Astronomical Society while considering going back to school for geology, another field I love. Jerry made physics feel more attainable. Since I was older than a typical college student, Wayne State was a great choice — it was close, affordable and allowed me to work while earning my degree.

What classes or professors had the biggest impact on you?

The class that prepared me most for my job was actually C++ — But I loved my astronomy courses with Ed Cackett. Stellar Physics was an awesome class, and I miss it.

Jeff MacLeod works on his Gemini Capsule Simulator

Tell us about your career. What do you do now?

I am now an air warfare engineer. The best part of working in the defence industry is I can't really talk about my work much. I prefer to talk about my side projects, such as my life-size simulator or a Gemini Space Capsule.

How do you stay involved in astronomy?

Staying connected is tough. Even as a board member of the Warren Astronomical Society, I feel more disconnected than I did at Wayne State. I do a lot of outreach, though — keeping up with the field is important since people always ask about the latest misleading headline they’ve seen.

What advice do you have for students?

Find your passion and try many things. If you're not genuinely engaged with what you are doing, someone who is will pass you by and get the research opportunity or job you are looking for. Join clubs, talk to people and professors. Oftentimes the path is different than you think it is.

Lastly, if you could witness any celestial event in history, what would it be?

If it could be done safely, watching the moon’s formation would be pretty epic. It’s still an unsettled science, so I could also publish my findings.