Michael Fulton began his career in 1973 with Optical Coating Laboratory Inc. in Santa Rosa, CA. During this time he pioneered Ion Assisted Deposition technology for the production of advanced thin-film optical interference coatings. He worked on many space programs including: Space Shuttle Windows; Galileo satellite program for Jupiter; solar cell cover coatings for space power; and many defense related programs. In 1990 Michael joined the Boeing High Technology Center where he was instrumental in the development of UV protection coatings on silicone Fresnel lenses. After Boeing closed the High Technology Center he moved to Singapore where he developed advanced optical coatings and was instrumental in establishing the Center of Thin-Film Excellence in the Productivity and Standards Board.
Upon returning to the US he joined a small company where he designed and produced the special window coatings for the International Space Station. In 2000 he joined the Rockwell Science Center where he worked on the Laser Eye Protection programs for military pilots and produced the hyper-spectral filter for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. In 2003 he started his own consulting company, Ion Beam Optics Inc., where he has devoted his time to solar energy technology development for space power and terrestrial applications. He joined the Worlds Nest team in December 2005, working to bring advanced high efficient photovoltaic space power technology back to earth to address the world's energy needs. Michael has a B.S. in Chemistry and an M.A. from Sonoma State University and was selected as the Sonoma State University Distinguished Alumni for 2006.