Dara Norman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dara J. Norman
Norman in 2023
Alma mater	Massachusetts Institute of Technology, BS (1988) University of Washington, MS (1994) University of Washington, PhD (1999)
Scientific career
Fields	Astronomy
Institutions	National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory
Doctoral advisor	Craig Hogan

Dara J. Norman is an amazing astronomer! She works as a leader at the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab) in Tucson, Arizona. This lab is a big part of the National Science Foundation. Dr. Norman also helps make sure that people from all backgrounds have a chance to work in astronomy. Her main research is about how special bright centers of galaxies, called Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), affect how galaxies grow and change. In 2020, she was honored as one of the first Fellows of the American Astronomical Society because of her important work and leadership.

Her Journey to Astronomy

Dara Norman grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She loved astronomy from a young age. Her mom, who enjoyed science fiction and space, inspired her. As a child, she dreamed of becoming an astronomer.

Studying at MIT

She went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for college. There, she learned from James Elliott. He was famous for leading the team that found the rings around Uranus. In 1988, Dr. Norman earned her first degree in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science.

Graduate School and Discoveries

After MIT, Dr. Norman worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center for three years. In 1992, she met Bruce Margon, who led the Astronomy department at the University of Washington. They had both studied the same active galaxy using the Hubble Space Telescope.

Dr. Norman then joined the University of Washington's graduate program. In 1999, she earned her advanced degree (Ph.D.). She was the first African American woman to get a Ph.D. in astronomy from that university. For her Ph.D., she focused on gravitational lensing and studied very bright objects called quasars.

After her Ph.D., she worked as a researcher at Stony Brook University. Later, she joined the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). There, she helped the Deep Lens Survey team. She worked to understand how gravitational lensing makes distant galaxies look bigger. This "magnification bias" changes how we see the universe.

Her Work Today

Exploring Active Galaxies

Today, Dr. Norman is a scientist and a leader at the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC). This center is part of NOIRLab. Her research now focuses on Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). These are super bright areas at the center of galaxies. Scientists believe they are powered by giant supermassive black holes.

AGN become bright when stars and gas fall into the black hole. They can shine even brighter than a whole galaxy of stars! Dr. Norman's work helps us understand how these active galaxies form. She also studies why some of them are much brighter than others.

Making Astronomy Fair for Everyone

Dr. Norman is a strong leader in making science more fair and open to everyone. She works as a Diversity Advocate for the Association of Universities for Research in AStronomy. In this role, she helps bring more minority groups and women into astronomy. She also helps them stay and succeed in the field.

She is also part of the American Astronomical Society's Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy. Dr. Norman believes everyone should have a chance to be on important committees and leadership teams. She also works to make sure everyone can use large sets of scientific data. This means making sure people have the right training and tools. She has pushed for coding and development training to be available to all astronomers. This is important because using data is key to using telescopes and advancing in an astronomy career.

Awards and Honors

• Distinguished Alumni Timeless Award, University of Washington, 2012
• Elected Legacy Fellow, American Astronomical Society, 2020
• Washington NASA Space Grant Fellowship