Dr. William D. Langer received his Ph.D. in Physics from Yale University. Upon leaving Yale, he was a Postdoctoral Associate at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, and then at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, where he worked in nuclear astrophysics. Following these positions Dr. Langer spent several years teaching and doing research in academia. Originally a theorist, he broadened his experience to work in observational radio astronomy at AT&T's Bell Laboratories, where he was a visiting astronomer. He came to JPL in 1991 from Princeton University's Plasma Physics Lab.

Over the years his research interests have spanned a wide range of theoretical and observational studies including neutron stars, solid state physics, plasma physics of fusion devices, Galactic structure, the formation of stars, and the chemical evolution of stars and planetary disks. He is a former Manager of the Science Division and was the Project Scientist for the Herschel Space Observatory in its formative years. Dr. Langer is author, or co-author, of over 150 peer-reviewed research papers, numerous invited review talks, a book on atomic processes, and editor of conference proceedings. Currently he is PI on a Herschel Space Observatory Open Time Key Program, Galactic Observations of Terahertz C+ (GOT C+), and several Open Time programs to study the structure and evolution of Galactic gas via observations of the far-infrared fine structure emission line of ionized carbon.

• B.S., Physics, New York University (1964)
• M.S., Physics, Yale University (1965)
• Ph.D., Physics, Yale University (1968)

• Galactic structure and dynamics
• The structure and dynamics of the interstellar medium
• Star formation processes
• Properties of protostellar cores and protoplanetary disks

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1991 - Present)
• Senior Research Scientist (1997 - Present)
• Manager, Planetary Science (2009 - 2012)
• Deputy Director for Reseach, Engineering and Science Directorate (2006-2009)
• Manager, Science Division (2001-2006)
• Director of the Long Wavelength Astrophysics Center (2000-2002)
• Project Scientist Herschel Space Observatory (1997-2001)
• Lead Scientist Astrophysics (1997-2000)
• Supervisor of the Radio and Submillimeter Astronomy Group (1992-1996)
• Research Scientist, Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University (1980-1991)
• Associate Professor Physics and Astronomy, University of Massachusetts (1978-1980)
• Assistant Professor Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania (1976-1978)
• Research Assistant Professor of Physics, New York University (1971-1976)
• NATO-NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen (1970-1971)
• NRC-Resident Research Associate, NASA"s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, NY (1968-1970)

• NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal (2010)

1. R. K. Janev, W. D. Langer, K. Evans, Jr. and D. E. Post, "Elementary Processes in Hydrogen - Helium Plasmas: Cross Sections and Reaction Rate Coefficients," Springer Series on Atoms + Plasmas (1987); (Springer-Verlag: Heidelberg).
2. W. D. Langer and T. Phillips, Eds., "Herschel  A Vision of the Cool Universe," Proceedings of a workshop held in San Diego in Feb. 2001, published in 2002.

1. P. F. Goldsmith, W. D. Langer, J. L. Pineda, T. Velusamy, Collisional Excitation of the [CII] Fine-Structure Transition in Interstellar Clouds, Astrophysical Journal Supplements (2012) in press.
2. T. Velusamy, W. D. Langer, J. L. Pineda, P. F. Goldsmith, [CII] 158 micron line detection of the warm ionized medium in the Scutum-Crux spiral arm tangency, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2012) 541, L10.
3. T. Velusamy, W. D. Langer, M. S. N. Kumar, J. M. C. Grave, Jets and Wide-angle Outflows in Cepheus E: New Evidence from Spitzer, The Astrophysical Journal (2011) 741, 60.
4. W. D. Langer, T. Velusamy, J. L. Pineda, P. F. Goldsmith, D. Li, H. W. Yorke, C+ Detection of Warm Dark Gas in Diffuse Clouds, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2010) 521, 17.
5. T. Velusamy, W. D. Langer, J. L. Pineda, P. F. Goldsmith, D. Li, H. W. Yorke, [CII] Observations of H2 Molecular Layers in Transition Clouds, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2010) 521, 18.
6. J. L. Pineda, T. Velusamy, W. D. Langer, P. F. Goldsmith, D. Li, H. W. Yorke, A Sample of [CII] Clouds Tracing Dense Clouds in Weak UV Fields Observed by Herschel, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2010) 521, 19.
7. P. F. Goldsmith, T. Velusamy, D. Li, W. D. Langer, Molecular Hydrogen Emission from the Boundaries of the Taurus Molecular Cloud, The Astrophysical Journal (2010) 715, 1370.
8. T. Velusamy and W. D. Langer, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon and H2 Emissions in the Ultraviolet-Dominated Region in NGC 2316, Astronomical Journal (2008) 136, 602.
9. T. Velusamy, R. Peng, D. Li, P. F. Goldsmith, W. D. Langer, Dichotomy in the Dynamical Status of Massive Cores Orion, The Astrophysical Journal (2008) 688, 87.
10. T. Velusamy, W. D. Langer, K. A. Marsh, Highly Collimated Jets and Wide-Angle Outflows in HH 46/47: New Evidence from Spitzer Infrared Images, The Astrophysical Journal (2007) 668, 159.