About Kent Cullers
Lived 1949 – 2021 (aged 71). Kent Cullers was an American astronomer.
Kent Cullers (July 21, 1949 – July 17, 2021) was an American astronomer, who was a manager of SETI's Project Phoenix. In 2005, he retired from the SETI Institute.
Early life and education Cullers was born in July 1949 in El Reno, Oklahoma, the son of an oil field engineer. His birth was premature and to save his life he was placed in an incubator filled with pure oxygen. The excess oxygen damaged his retinas, leaving him totally blind.
In popular culture Cullers was the subject of a short documentary film produced by his wife, the photographer Lisa Powers. The character Kent Clark, portrayed by William Fichtner in the 1997 film Contact, was based on Cullers.
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Important facts
People in Kent Cullers's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Kent Cullers?
American astronomer
When was Kent Cullers born?
Kent Cullers was born on 21 July 1949 in El Reno.
When did Kent Cullers die?
Kent Cullers died on 17 July 2021 in Honolulu.
What was Kent Cullers's occupation?
Kent Cullers was an astronomer.
What nationality was Kent Cullers?
Kent Cullers was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Kent Cullers. https://biography.guide/kent-cullers/
MLA: "Kent Cullers." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kent-cullers/.
Chicago: "Kent Cullers." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kent-cullers/.
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