Jerry R. Ehman is an American astrophysicist and computer scientist, best known for his work in the field of radio astronomy. He gained prominence in 1977 when he discovered the Wow! signal, a strong narrowband radio signal detected by the Big Ear radio telescope at Ohio State University. This signal is often cited as a potential indication of extraterrestrial intelligence. Ehman was born on July 15, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio. He has contributed to various scientific fields, including the development of computer systems for analyzing astronomical data. His work continues to inspire interest in the search for extraterrestrial life and the study of the universe.