Astronomy
Ever since grad school, I've named my computers after pioneering women in astronomy: Maria (Mitchell), Caroline (Herschel), Cecilia (Payne-Gaposchkin), Henrietta (Swan Leavitt), Annie (Jump Cannon). (Some of these women were real life human computers.)
So perhaps it's no surprise that my role model is yet another pioneering woman in astronomy: Vera Rubin. She became an astronomer in an era when few women were even working out of the home. She discovered dark matter. She has four children, all of whom are now scientists themselves and raising their own families.
I admire Vera for many things: for doing ground-breaking science, for raising a wonderful and loving family, for having the chutzpah stand up to nay-sayers, and for just being a nice person.
Someday, I will probably name a computer after Vera, but given my criteria for naming computers, I hope it won't be for a long long time.
Who is your role model?
- Aaswomen For August 2, 2013
AAS Committee on the Status of Women AAS Committee on the Status of Women Issue of August 2, 2013 eds. Michele M. Montgomery, Daryl Haggard, Nick Murphy, & Nicolle Zellner This week's issues: 1. June issue of STATUS is now available online2. Unconscious...
- Not Just Assistants - The Historical Perspecitive
When the contribution about Caroline Herschel appeared, Andrea Dupree emailed David DeVorkin, a Curator at the National Air and Space Museum (another part of the Smithsonian Institution to which we at CfA belong), and a member of the AAS. He replied with...
- Aaswomen For February 27, 2009
AAS Committee on the Status of Women Issue of February 27, 2009 eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery This week's issues: 1. Academeology2. Progress in STEM?3. Michigan ADVANCE Web Site4. My Role Model: Vera Rubin5. How to Submit,...
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Tonight, I went to the opening reception for the IYA kick-off in the US. They gave out free beer: Sierra Nevada Galileo's Astronomical Ale. "Theoretically the best beer in the universe." I got one just so I could keep the bottle. There were speeches...
Astronomy
My Role Model: Vera Rubin
The theme of this month's Scientiae Carnival is Role Models.
Ever since grad school, I've named my computers after pioneering women in astronomy: Maria (Mitchell), Caroline (Herschel), Cecilia (Payne-Gaposchkin), Henrietta (Swan Leavitt), Annie (Jump Cannon). (Some of these women were real life human computers.)
So perhaps it's no surprise that my role model is yet another pioneering woman in astronomy: Vera Rubin. She became an astronomer in an era when few women were even working out of the home. She discovered dark matter. She has four children, all of whom are now scientists themselves and raising their own families.
I had the good fortune to spend my first postdoc at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, where Vera still comes in almost daily, despite being retired. My first week there, she strolled into my office and introduced herself in a very friendly way, saying she "liked to meet all the new postdocs." Meanwhile, my mind was gibbering, "it's Vera Rubin! It's Vera Rubin!!" In my time at Carnegie, we ate many meals together at Lunch Club, shared many stories about raising children, talked about the obstacles that women in astronomy have faced over the years and still face today, and even talked about science once in a while. I learned that while Vera is a kind and gentle soul, she is tough as steel under her grandmotherly exterior and will fight tooth and nail against any perceived injustices.
I admire Vera for many things: for doing ground-breaking science, for raising a wonderful and loving family, for having the chutzpah stand up to nay-sayers, and for just being a nice person.
Someday, I will probably name a computer after Vera, but given my criteria for naming computers, I hope it won't be for a long long time.
Who is your role model?
scientiae-carnival
- Aaswomen For August 2, 2013
AAS Committee on the Status of Women AAS Committee on the Status of Women Issue of August 2, 2013 eds. Michele M. Montgomery, Daryl Haggard, Nick Murphy, & Nicolle Zellner This week's issues: 1. June issue of STATUS is now available online2. Unconscious...
- Not Just Assistants - The Historical Perspecitive
When the contribution about Caroline Herschel appeared, Andrea Dupree emailed David DeVorkin, a Curator at the National Air and Space Museum (another part of the Smithsonian Institution to which we at CfA belong), and a member of the AAS. He replied with...
- Aaswomen For February 27, 2009
AAS Committee on the Status of Women Issue of February 27, 2009 eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery This week's issues: 1. Academeology2. Progress in STEM?3. Michigan ADVANCE Web Site4. My Role Model: Vera Rubin5. How to Submit,...
- Carnival!
I am dimly aware that there may have been some kind of carnival in Rio a couple of days ago, but that's not what my title is referring to. Rather, I want to bring your attention to the brand-new Diversity in Science Carnival! There's lots of good...
- Aas 213th Meeting: Iya Opening
Tonight, I went to the opening reception for the IYA kick-off in the US. They gave out free beer: Sierra Nevada Galileo's Astronomical Ale. "Theoretically the best beer in the universe." I got one just so I could keep the bottle. There were speeches...