Ann Hornschemeier facts for kids

Ann Hornschemeier is an American astronomer who studies X-rays coming from special pairs of stars. She is a top scientist for the Physics of the Cosmos program at NASA.

Ann Hornschemeier's Career and Research

Ann Hornschemeier leads a science team that uses the NuSTAR telescope. This team observes seven nearby galaxies. They use powerful X-rays to find and photograph super hot, super dense, and super energetic places in space.

At NASA, Hornschemeier studies how the universe works, especially with very powerful energy. She is also involved in future space missions. One of these is the ESA Athena mission, which is planned to launch in 2028. Hornschemeier also teaches at Johns Hopkins University.

She focuses on studying X-rays from pairs of stars that are very, very far away in the universe. She does this work using telescopes in space that see X-rays, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. She also uses telescopes on Earth.

Ann Hornschemeier is the Chief Scientist for the Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) program. This is NASA's program for studying high-energy astrophysics and cosmology. She is also the NASA Deputy Study Scientist for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. LISA is a space mission led by the European Space Agency that will look for "ripples" in space-time called gravitational waves. She works with other scientists at NASA to help with NASA's part in the LISA mission.

Ann Hornschemeier's Education

Ann Hornschemeier earned her Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics in 2002 from Pennsylvania State University. She also has a Master of Science degree in astronomy from the same university. For her Bachelor of Science degree, she studied physics and mathematics at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, graduating with high honors.

Awards and Honors

In 2007, Ann Hornschemeier won the American Astronomical Society's Annie Jump Cannon Award. This award recognizes women for their excellent research in astronomy. She received it for her X-ray studies of distant galaxies.

NASA gave her the Early Career Achievement Medal in 2012. This award celebrates outstanding achievements in science, leadership, and service early in a person's career. In 2016, she was chosen as a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

Family Life

Ann Hornschemeier's brother is Paul Hornschemeier, who is an artist, author, and director.

See also

In Spanish: Ann Hornschemeier para niños