Charlene Heisler facts for kids

Charlene Heisler (born December 1, 1961 – died October 28, 1999) was a brilliant Canadian astronomer. She was famous for her important work on Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). These are super bright centers of galaxies. After she passed away, the Astronomical Society of Australia created the Charlene Heisler Prize in her honor. This award celebrates the best PhD research in astronomy in Australia.

Early Life and Education

Charlene Heisler was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She loved science from a young age. In 1985, she earned her first degree from the University of Calgary. She studied applied math and physics. During her summers, she worked as a research helper. She also worked at the Calgary Centennial Planetarium.

Before starting her advanced studies, Charlene faced a big health challenge. She was diagnosed with a serious illness called cystic fibrosis. Her doctors thought she might not live long. They even suggested she stop her studies. But Charlene was very determined. She lived for eight more years and completed her PhD.

She earned her PhD at Yale in 1991. Her main research was about special galaxies. These galaxies had a lot of energy that showed up as infrared light. Scientists called them "Sixty Micron Peakers."

Research and Career

After her PhD, Charlene became a postdoctoral researcher at York University. This meant she continued her research while also teaching. She worked with Mike De Robertis. Here, she also started teaching science to others.

Charlene continued her research on "Sixty Micron Peakers." She believed these galaxies held important clues. They could tell us about the early stages of AGN. She used powerful telescopes at Mauna Kea. She also used data from Kitt Peak Observatory and the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO). Her research showed that her ideas were right!

Charlene also taught university classes. She gave public talks about astronomy. She was a great inspiration for young women interested in science.

In 1993, she moved to Sydney, Australia. She became a research fellow at the Anglo-Australian Observatory. She also helped astronomers use special infrared cameras. In 1996, she moved to Mount Stromlo Observatory in Canberra. She received a special fellowship there in 1998.

One of her most important papers came out in 1997. She worked with Stuart Lumsden and Jeremy Bailey. They studied why some Seyfert II galaxies have hidden "broad line regions." These regions are usually only seen in polarized light. Charlene and her team found a link. They thought it was related to the galaxy's infrared color. This helped them create a new model for these galaxies.

Her last big project was called COLA. This stood for COmpact Low-power AGN. She worked with Phil Appleton and Ray Norris. They wanted to see if AGN activity was linked to starburst activity. Starburst galaxies are forming new stars very quickly.

After Charlene's death, the Astronomical Society of Australia created the Charlene Heisler Prize. This award is given every year. It honors the best PhD research in astronomy from an Australian university.