User:Victorb~enwiki

I am an American presently living in Connecticut. Finishing up a dissertation in astrophysics around the end on the Vietnam War, I found that there was then no funding for continuing work in the field (the NSF budget was drastically slashed, so no post-docs), and slid off into what was then a new topic in laboratory archaeology, thermoluminescence dating of ceramics. After a few years in research, I started a company to manufacture instruments for TL dating, and later, for optically stimulated luminescence dating--primarily for geochronology. It certainly provides an opportunity for travel, and also (as a consultant on dating in the arts) to see, handle, and drill holes in wonderful antiquities. At this point I am really much more an engineer/craftsman than a physicist. I always preferred making the tools to making the measurements.

Though I have to work pretty hard earning a living, I have many other interests, especially playing and listening to early music (I play lutes and tenor viol mostly), and collecting African art. My ambition is to eventually start building my own musical instruments, particularly early forms of guitar/vihuelas and hurdy gurdies.