Our People Stars
Dr Sarah Rusholme - Director
What do you do at Carter? I keep an eye on everything and everyone – making sure we’re doing our very best for all our visitors and stakeholders.
What’s the best part of your job? Seeing it all come together!
What’s your favourite exhibit at Carter? The Gravity Well
If you met an alien what would you say? “Fancy a brew?”
Dr Claire Bretherton - Education and Public Programmes 
What do you do at Carter? I manage the schools’ and public programmes and events at Carter. Along with the rest of the education team I aim to inspire people about the wonders of astronomy and science in general, and encourage them to look up at the beautiful southern skies.
What’s the best part of your job? Seeing the reactions of the public when they learn about a subject that I love.
What’s your favourite exhibit at Carter? The columns of sand and the Milky Way
If you met an alien what would you say? “Do you come here often?”
John Field - Programmes Officer 
What do you do at Carter? My role is varied and includes working with, presenting, and producing shows for the public and educational sessions. This has involved learning a new digital planetarium system that has lots of exciting presentation opportunities.
What’s the best part of your job? Working with a wide variety of people from around the world!
What’s your favourite exhibit at Carter? The Digital Orrery
If you met an alien what would you say? “Na-nu Na-nu! “
Tracey Harris - Front of House Manager 
What do you do at Carter? As Front of House Manager I have three areas of responsibility; front of house operations, services and staff, developing and managing our retail environment and event management. My goal is to ensure we meet and exceed our customs expectations.
What’s the best part of your job? Showing people around our environment and amazing them with what we have to offer. Very unique to Wellington.
What’s your favourite exhibit at Carter? The Sun
If you met an alien what would you say? “I hope you brought decent coffee!"
Gordon Hudson - Collections Officer 
What do you do at Carter? I do the archiving and curatorial work. This includes the resoration and refurbishment of instruments, the displaying of the instruments and storing all our books and pictures onto a data storage system.
What's the best part of your job? Looking after the instruments and making sure they run well and look good - especially the telescopes.
What's your favourite exhibit at Carter? New Zealand's oldest existing astronomical telescope, a 3.5 inch Cooke refractor.
If you met an alien what would you say? "Yeah gidday!"
Vicki Irons - Programmes Officer 
What do you do at Carter? Make sure the programmes are informative, educational, engaging, enlightening and offered in a manner that is easily accessible for the majority of visitors, while also whetting their appetite for more.
What’s the best part of your job? Seeing the light of understanding shine on information which offers a new view of our everyday world with its beautiful, amazing, informative sky.
What’s your favourite exhibit at Carter? “Beautiful Minds and No.8 wire.” This exhibit shows why we at the bottom of the world often think in original and creative ways, thus contributing to the greater knowledge about the universe.
If you met an alien what would you say? “Why are you visiting us?”
Dawn Muir - Marketing & Communications Manager 
What do you do at Carter? I manage and co-ordinate a range of activities designed to raise awareness about Carter and attract visitors to the door. This includes things like working with the media, advertising, writing newsletters, keeping the website updated and working with the tourism community to include a visit to Carter in their packages.
What’s the best part of your job? Sharing information about Carter, especially the wonderful new planetarium, the flash exhibits and meeting spaces.
What’s your favourite exhibit at Carter? The Maori navigation exhibit.
If you met an alien what would you say? “Where have you been all my life?”
Kim Victoria - Office Co-ordinator 
What do you do at Carter? My official job title is Office Co-ordinator, but that includes being Bookings Co-ordinator, Database Manager, Pretend IT Consultant, Unofficial Tour Guide, Stationery Orderer, Quiz Co-ordinator, General Busybody! Every day is a new challenge, a new opportunity and a new achievement. It’s great fun.
What’s the best part of your job? Learning from everyone I work with - we have a variety of people here with different experience and backgrounds so every day I learn something new.
What’s your favourite exhibit at Carter? The Thomas Cooke telescope. It’s beautiful.
If you met an alien what would you say? “Where on Earth did you come from?”