Bill Diamond is the President and CEO of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, a position he has held since 2015.  The SETI Institute is a research, education and outreach organization devoted to the study of life in the Universe.  The Mission of the Institute is ‘To lead humanity’s quest to understand the nature and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that work with the world.  The SETI Institute is home to education and communications professionals and over 100 PhD explorer scientists representing more than 20 separate disciplines in the natural sciences.

The Institute’s research covers the domains of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Exoplanets, Climate and Biogeoscience, Earth Science, Astrobiology and Radio and Optical SETI.  Research activities and methodologies include ground and space-based telescopes, radio astronomy, field expeditions, laboratory research, NASA mission support, technology and instrument development and advanced data analytics.

During his tenure at the Institute, Mr. Diamond has overseen the expansion of the Institute’s research and education programs and the diversification of its funding sources in both the public and private sector.  He constructed an external Science Advisory Board to help guide and direct the Institute’s science, and together with the Director of Research, an internal Science Council to better leverage the multidisciplinary nature of the Institute’s programs.

Prior to joining the Institute, Mr. Diamond spent over 30 years of his career in applied science and technology, including CEO positions in the US and Singapore in photonics, industrial x-ray, optical communications and semiconductor processing tools.  Mr. Diamond holds a B.A. in Physics from Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA and an MBA from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.