Catharine Garmany facts for kids

Catharine "Katy" D. Garmany (born March 6, 1946) is an American astronomer. She has spent her career studying stars and teaching others about space. She works with the National Optical Astronomy Observatory.

Katy Garmany earned her first degree in astrophysics from Indiana University Bloomington in 1966. She then received her master's degree in astrophysics in 1968. In 1971, she completed her Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Virginia. Her main research focuses on huge stars, how they form, and how they change over time. She also cares a lot about teaching astronomy to people of all ages.

From 1998 to 2001, Dr. Garmany was on the board of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. She then served as their vice president from 2001 to 2003. She is well-known for her work on how stars are born. In 1976, she received a special honor called the Annie J. Cannon Award from the American Astronomical Society. This award recognizes promising female astronomers.

Dr. Garmany has taught at several universities. These include the University of Virginia and the University of Colorado. She has also helped teach the public about space. She did this through her work at the Sommers-Bausch Observatory and Fiske Planetarium. She is also a member of several important astronomy groups. These include the International Astronomical Union and the International Planetarium Society.

Exploring the Universe: Dr. Garmany's Research

Dr. Garmany's early research looked at a group of stars called OB association III Cepheus. She studied these stars at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. She and her team study O- and B-type stars, which are the biggest and hottest stars in our galaxy.

These giant stars form in groups called OB associations. These groups are very spread out and don't seem to follow normal gravity rules. Dr. Garmany once said that "an OB association is the closest thing to nothing that is still something." This means they are very loose collections of stars.

Why are these stars so important? When these massive stars explode, they create heavy elements. These elements are necessary for planets like Earth to form. Dr. Garmany explains that without OB stars, "there would be no planets like earth." Her research helps us understand where our planet and everything on it came from.

Dr. Garmany's Career Journey

After finishing her Ph.D. in 1971, Dr. Garmany worked as a researcher at the University of Virginia. She also taught at Sweet Briar College for a few semesters. In 1975, she moved to Colorado. There, she joined the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) as a researcher. She also taught astronomy to college students at the University of Colorado.

In 1985, Dr. Garmany became a fellow at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy (CASA). This center is also at the University of Colorado. In 1990, she became a fellow at JILA while still working with CASA. She also became the director of the Sommers-Bausch Observatory and Fiske Planetarium. As director, she helped guide graduate students. She also made sure the observatory taught the public about space through shows and displays.

From 2000 to 2003, Dr. Garmany was a professor at Columbia University. She also directed the Astronomy Program at Biosphere 2. This is a science research center in Arizona. Since 2004, she has worked as a Senior Science Education Specialist. She helps with education and public outreach for the National Optical Astronomy Observatory.

Early Life and Inspirations

Catharine Garmany attended the Bronx High School of Science. This is a special school for students interested in science and math. There, she met friends who also went on to earn advanced degrees in science. These friendships lasted a lifetime.

Dr. Garmany has two sons, Rick, born in 1974, and Jeff, born in 1980.

Awards and Recognition

In 1976, Dr. Garmany received the Annie J. Cannon Award in astronomy. This award is given to women who show great promise in their field. The American Association of University Women recognized her talent. After receiving this award, she was offered a research position at the University of Colorado with JILA. She later became the chair of JILA.

Dr. Garmany has spoken about the importance of this award for young women in science. She said, "Young women who enter science begin with low self-esteem. And the ones who leave science feel that they are not doing well enough, when, in fact, they are doing as well as the men." This award helped her and encouraged other women.

In 2020, she was chosen as a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society. This honor recognizes her lasting contributions to astronomy.

See also

In Spanish: Catherine Garmany para niños