As a child, Thill grew up stargazing under the clear skies of his hometown, Saranac Lake. Motivated by these experiences, he is currently pursuing a career in astronomy outreach and research. Simon recently graduated from Haverford College magna cum laude with a double major in Astronomy and Physics. For his high academic performance he was awarded departmental high honors, selected for the M. A. Ajzenberg endowed scholarship, and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.

Thill currently studies cosmology, a sub-field of astronomy which focuses on the early universe, the big bang, cosmic inflation, the force of gravity and the universe’s large-scale structure. He is currently interested in studying gravitational waves and how they can be used to learn about the early universe and theoretical physics. He has presented his work by giving talks at MIT’s Undergraduate Cosmology Workshop and Penn State’s Cosmology Conference.

Additionally, he has previously conducted research at Cornell University on ion collisions in plasma thrusters used for spacecraft propulsion. He co-authored a paper on this topic, which is currently in review by the Journal of Propulsion and Power. His early research experience also included projects in biomechanics and robotic design at Temple University, where he studied intrusion dynamics into granular media, resulting in published abstracts and conference presentations.

Thill is very passionate about science communication. At Haverford, he was the Senior Editor in Chief of JOLT Magazine, where he oversaw a team of more than 25 students, creating STEM content that is accessible to general audiences.

Additionally, he served as the Head of Public Observing at Haverford’s Strawbridge Observatory, where he organized public astronomy events that attracted hundreds of visitors each semester. He was awarded the Green Prize by the Haverford Physics and Astronomy department for his contributions to science communication and excellence in research.

“Growing up in the Adirondacks connected me to nature as well as the night sky and motivated me to study it. I’m very excited to join The Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory and share my love of astronomy with my home community and beyond” said Thill.