Nick Colmenares is a Postdoctoral Fellow at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Earth Sciences Division, Geodesy and Geophysics Laboratory through Oak Ridge Associated Universities. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California San Diego working on the operation and improvement of the Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation (APOLLO), which routinely measures the distance to the Moon at the millimeter scale. He briefly worked as a Research and Development Engineer in San Diego at Clinicomp - a healthcare IT and medical device R&D company - on a project to reduce risk and improve outcomes of high-risk pregnancy deliveries. In 2021 he became a NASA Postdoctoral Fellow to continue research centered on APOLLO (now also known as the Apache Point Lunar Laser Ranging Station, or APLLRS), which NASA became stewards of earlier the same year, under the guidance of Dr. Stephen M. Merkowitz.

His personal interests include yoga, mindfulness, gardening, video games and exploring natural scenery with his cat Juno and newer cat James.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of California San Diego, 2020. Program in Physics. Major area of study: Experimental General Relativity. Dissertation: "Calibrating the Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation (APOLLO) Apparatus."

Master of Science, University of California San Diego, 2014. Program in Physics.

Bachelor of Science, Indiana University, 2011. Major in Physics, Major in Astronomy/Astrophysics, Minor in Mathematics.