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When Joe Sauvageau ’75 watched the Apollo missions as a boy in Waterbury, he dreamed about space, but he never imagined he’d one day help design the instruments that explore it. Today, as a System Manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Sauvageau stands at the forefront of aerospace innovation.

“I’ve always been fascinated by how things work,” he says. “At Holy Cross, I took every science class available. That foundation carried me through everything that followed.”

Sauvageau entered Fairfield University planning to study medicine, but a passion for physics, the seed of which started while at HCHS after watching Star Trek episodes on television, soon took over. After earning his degree in physics and mathematics, he pursued graduate studies in applied physics at Stony Brook University where he received a MA and Ph.D.. There he discovered his true calling: experimental physics and engineering.

“Hands-on science excited me,” he recalls. “I wanted to build things, not just study them on paper and make things which benefit society.”

That hands-on approach defined his career. Beginning at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, CO, Sauvageau worked on cutting-edge infrared detector technology. However, unlike many colleagues, he left government research for industry, eager to see science translated into real-world applications using the tools of engineering.

Over the next three decades, Sauvageau’s career spanned start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and entrepreneurial ventures. He served as a Chief Technology Officer, Vice President of Engineering, and even co-founded companies of his own. His work always pushed boundaries from lasers and photonics to advanced satellite payloads.

One highlight: serving as Chief Engineer on the Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload (CHIRP) Program, where he led the design and launch of a wide field-of-view sensor for the U.S. Air Force. The project showcased his technical expertise and his ability to unite and inspire highly skilled teams.

Since 2014, Sauvageau has been at JPL, a place of his boyhood dreams, leading development of next-generation sensors and instruments for NASA missions. His portfolio includes technologies for Mars exploration, space telescopes, and instruments designed to detect chemical signatures on distant worlds.

“Much of my career has been about one big question,” he says. “Are we alone in the Universe?” The search for life and biosignatures in our solar system and galaxy forms a major interest to NASA and the larger science community. This sits on top of a passionate interest in understanding nature at the deepest level.

Sauvageau returned to Waterbury this past spring for his 50th reunion. The experience reminded him how deeply Holy Cross High School shaped his journey. “Holy Cross prepared me for college and beyond,” he reflects. “The teachers cared. They inspired curiosity, discipline, and a love of learning. They shaped minds and cultivated our hearts. That foundation made all the difference.”

From the classrooms of Holy Cross to the laboratories of JPL, Sauvageau has lived a career defined by innovation, leadership, and an enduring sense of wonder. His journey is proof that early inspiration, nurtured by great teachers, can reach all the way to the stars.