Carl Sagan Born November 9, 1934(1934-11-09) Brooklyn, New York, US Died December 20, 1996(1996-12-20) (aged 62) Seattle, Washington, US Residence US Nationality American Fields Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology, Astrobiology, Space science, Planetary science Institutions Cornell University Harvard University Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory University of California, Berkeley Alma mater University of Chicago (B.A.), (B.Sc.), (M.Sc.), (Ph.D.) Known for Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Cosmos: A Personal Voyage Cosmos Voyager Golden Record Pioneer plaque Contact Pale Blue Dot Notable awards Oersted Medal (1990) NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal (twice) Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction (1978) National Academy of Sciences Public Welfare Medal (1994) Carl Edward Sagan (English pronunciation: /ˈseɪɡən/) (November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author and science popularizer and science communicator in the space and natural sciences. During his lifetime, he published more than 600 scientific papers and popular articles and was author, co-author, or editor of more than 20 books. In his works, he advocated skeptical inquiry and the scientific method. He pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI)..