Meet the Planet Four Team: Brian Carstensen

Today we have the next installment of our Meet the Planet Four Team series, featuring Brian Carstensen from the Zooniverse development team.

Name: Brian Carstensen

What is your current position and where/institution?

Front end web developer at the University of Oxford

Where are you originally from/where did you grow up?

I’m originally from Chicago.

In 3 lines explain what you do as part of the Zooniverse development team?

I used to build user interfaces for various projects.
Now I’m working on the UI for the new Zooniverse-as-a-platform infratructure.
I’m also taking on some graphic design responsibility for the new system.

What was your role in Planet Four?

I built the part of the site our volunteers interact with. The marking tools in Planet Four were actually the first prototype of the drawing library now used in most of the more recent Zooniverse projects.

Why do you find interesting about Mars?

I’m just waiting patiently for someone to start terraforming it so my great-great-great-etc. grandbabies can hang out there.

What is your favorite movie?

Primer (2004)

What is your favorite book?

Anathem by Neal Stephenson

What is the song you currently can’t get out of your head?

Ella Fitzgerald’s botched recording of Mack the Knife.

 What three albums would you bring with you to a desert island?

Six Demon Bag by Man Man
The Milk Eyed Mender by Joanna Newsom
Milo Goes to College by Descendent

Favorite cocktail or beverage?

Moscow mule!