Anneila Sargent facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Professor Anneila Sargent FRSE
Sargent at 2017 National Science Board
Born	Anneila Isabel Cassells 1942 (age 82–83) Kirkcaldy, Scotland
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh University of California, Berkeley California Institute of Technology
Spouse(s)	Wallace L. W. Sargent
Children	2 daughters
Awards	NASA Public Service Medal Caltech Woman of the Year Award University of Edinburgh Alumnus of the Year (2002)
Scientific career
Fields	Star formation, astronomy
Institutions	California Institute of Technology

Anneila Isabel Sargent (born in 1942) is a Scottish-American astronomer. She is an expert in how stars are born in space.

About Anneila Sargent

Early Life and Education

Anneila Sargent grew up in Burntisland, Fife, Scotland. She went to Burntisland Primary School and Kirkcaldy High School. In 1963, she earned a physics degree from the University of Edinburgh.

After that, she moved to the United States. She studied at the University of California, Berkeley. Later, in 1967, she went to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). She earned her Ph.D. there in 1977.

Her Work at Caltech

Today, Anneila Sargent is a special professor of astronomy at Caltech. She is now retired but still holds the title. She used to be the director of the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. She also led the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy.

From 2000 to 2002, she was the president of the American Astronomical Society. She also led Caltech's Michelson Science Center. From 2007 to 2016, she was the Vice President for Student Affairs at Caltech. This role meant she helped look after the students.

Helping Science Grow

In 2011, President Obama asked her to join the National Science Board. This board helps guide science policy in the United States. She has also been part of many important science committees. These include groups for astronomy and physics. She also chaired a committee for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Since 1994, she has led NASA's Space Science Advisory Committee.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Anneila Sargent has received many honors for her work. In 1998, she won the NASA Public Service Medal. She also received the Caltech Woman of the Year Award that same year.

An asteroid in space, called 18244 Anneila, is named after her. The University of Edinburgh named her Alumnus of the Year in 2002. In 2008, they gave her an honorary Doctor of Science degree.

In 2017, she became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 2019, she received the Karl G. Jansky Lectureship. This award recognized her important work on young stars. It also honored her studies of the disks where planets form. She was also praised for being a leader in astronomy. She is a great role model for other female scientists.

In 2020, she was chosen as a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society. In 2021, she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. This is a very high honor for scientists.

In June 2023, the University of St Andrews gave her another Doctor of Science degree. This was to recognize her big contributions to astronomy. In 2023, she was also elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Personal Life

Anneila Sargent was married to another astronomer, Wallace L. W. Sargent. She grew up in a family where her father worked in shipyards. Her mother had two jobs, taking care of the home and working as a dressmaker.

See also

In Spanish: Anneila Sargent para niños