Candidate for
Recall of Gray Davis; State of California

Eric Korevaar Biography

-Born May 19, 1959 in Madison, Wisconsin to Dutch immigrant parents.
-Moved to La Jolla, California in 1964
-Father, Jacob Korevaar, was a mathematics professor at U.C.S.D.
-Stepfather, William B. Thompson, was a physics professor at U.C.S.D.
-Mother, Johanna E. Thompson, raised 5 children, and made and sold pottery.
-Attended Scripps Elementary School, Muirlands Junior High School and La Jolla High School. Graduated from La Jolla High School (as one of 5 valedictorians) in 1977.
-Received a B.S. with honors in Physics from Caltech in 1981.
-Received an M.A. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 1983.
-Received a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 1987. Thesis studies were in the field of atomic and optical physics, and involved the laser spectroscopy of sodium atoms in combined electric and magnetic fields.
-Married Dr. Leigh Plesniak (biochemistry professor at U.S.D.) in January, 2001
-Son Kevin Korevaar born on July 14, 2003.

-Worked as a teaching assistant in the summers of 1981-1983 at the Summer Science Program at the Thacher School in Ojai, CA, an intense 6 week program for high school students with a core astronomical project resulting in the calculation of the orbit of an asteroid.
-Worked at ThermoTrex Corporation (now called Trex Enterprises) in San Diego from 1986 to 1993 on various defense research programs, mostly sponsored by the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. Was program manager of a ground based demonstrator for an intersatellite laser communications system. Was a group manager of the Applied Physics Group, responsible for 15 people, during the last two years.
-Founded AstroTerra Corporation in 1992 and started working there full time in 1993 as president and employee number 1. Initial funding for the company was $75,000 from 3 founding investors. Grew the company to about 60 people and $6 Million in revenues in 2000, maintaining profitability each year. Developed technology using Small Business Innovation Research grants from the federal government. Successfully commercialized Optical Wireless Communications technology (now called Free Space Optics). Participated with Lucent Technologies in the first demonstrations of 2.5 Gb/s and 10 Gb/s optical wireless communications in 1999. AstroTerra was in the Deloite and Touche Fast 50 three times (among the 50 fastest growing technology companies in San Diego and Orange counties) and the Fast 500 once (among the 500 fastest growing technology companies in the nation). Sold AstroTerra to MRV Communications for about $100M in stock in July, 2000.
-Worked for MRV Communications from July 2000 until March, 2003, first as Chief Technology Officer of Optical Access (a wholly owned subsidiary of MRV which was planned for an IPO in December, 2000) and then as General Manager of the San Diego division of MRV and Intellectual Property Manager for MRV.
-Founded The Science Artist in 2003, and started working there on March 1 providing scientific and business consulting services to high technology companies in San Diego. Currently consulting 3 days a week, and taking care of son Kevin 2 days a week.

-Over 20 publications in atomic physics and free space laser communications
-Conference chair and proceedings editor for SPIE conferences Optical Wireless Communications 1, II, III, IV and V.
-Granted over 15 patents, including many in Free Space Optics and one for a Volumetric 3-dimensional display.
-Member of Optical Society of America, American Physical Society and International Society for Photonics Engineers.
-Alumni Admissions Area Coordinator for Caltech, and Caltech Class of 1981 Secretary.
-Junior Class President when at Caltech
-Treasurer of the Graduate College (graduate student organization) when at Princeton University.
-Tenor in the choir at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego.
-Past Grand Master of the Porters Pub Hash House Harriers, and past Hare Raiser for the North County Hash House Harriers (running group).
-Candidate for Governor in the California Recall Election of 2003.