Doctor Jonathan Carver
Age: 55
Born: Philadelphia
Jonathan Carver has always found great beauty in science, and was fortunate to experience the positive effects of the shift from fossil fuels to fusion and all of the advancements that came with it. His father was a successful entrepreneur and his mother a college professor. As a child he would go to the Franklin Institute with his family and rush to see every exhibit. He loved walking through the giant heart and listening to museum staff describe how scientists of the past had cured diseases, harnessed the power of electricity, and moved human civilization into the future. Carver never had the skill for art or the faith religion required, but he found a mixture of art and faith in science. Science made the world make sense. And Carver believed cutting edge science was almost a form of magic, a divine sorcery that revealed the underpinnings of the universe.
Carver received his PhD in Physics from the University of Chicago and returned home to Philadelphia to teach at the University of Pennsylvania. Carver’s research and writing on black holes, dark matter, and quantum mechanics were so well received that the university would have been happy for him to only teach one class a semester if he wanted—anything for him to be affiliated with the school. But Carver had a deep desire to share his enthusiasm for science with the world. He would teach four, sometimes even five, courses a semester while still conducting research, writing papers, and finding time to fly around the world giving lectures.
Carver became a relatively famous personality. In a world in which the pursuit of knowledge was no longer prioritized, he became a proselytizer for the wonders of science. He made a web series in an attempt to make science fun for kids. He answered adults' questions in comical videos and seemed to take real joy from bringing science to the masses.
Despite his enthusiasm, Carver is frustrated and resentful of the situation on Earth. In an age of limitless technological advances, the world seems less interested than ever before. He’s never been able to find financing for his show. He relies on interns and teaching assistants to keep everything going and survives off what's left of his pay as a professor. As he toils he sees personalities like Frederick Loop succeed despite their utter lack of content or character.
When The Boss approached Carver with an opportunity to travel into space, he couldn’t say no. This was his opportunity to go farther than anyone had before and bring back this experience for all his students on Earth.