Hakeem Oluseyi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hakeem Oluseyi
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| Born |
James Edward Plummer Jr.
March 13, 1967 |
| Education | Tougaloo College (BS) Stanford University (MS, PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics, astrophysics, cosmology, electrical engineering, science education |
| Institutions |
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| Thesis | Development of a Global Model of the Sun's Atmosphere with a Focus on the Solar Transition Region (2000) |
| Doctoral advisor | Arthur B. C. Walker Jr. |
Hakeem Muata Oluseyi, born James Edward Plummer Jr. on March 13, 1967, is an amazing American scientist. He is an astrophysicist (someone who studies space and stars) and a cosmologist (someone who studies the universe's origin and future). He's also an inventor, teacher, and even an actor! Dr. Oluseyi is known for making science exciting and easy to understand for everyone.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
A Childhood of Change
Hakeem Oluseyi was born James Edward Plummer Jr. on March 13, 1967. When he was young, his family moved around a lot. He lived in many different places, including tough neighborhoods in cities like New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Houston. Just before he turned 13, his family settled in rural Mississippi.
Hakeem finished middle school and high school in Mississippi. He was a very good student and graduated as the top student in his high school class in 1985. From 1984 to 1986, he served in the U.S. Navy. He says the Navy helped him learn algebra, which is a key part of mathematics.
College and University
After leaving the Navy, Hakeem went to Tougaloo College. There, he earned two bachelor's degrees: one in physics and one in mathematics. In 1991, he started studying at Stanford University. He earned a master's degree in physics in 1995.
Hakeem found it a bit challenging to adjust to Stanford at first. He had attended an all-black high school and then an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Stanford was very different. Luckily, he found a great teacher and friend in solar physicist Arthur B. C. Walker Jr.. Dr. Walker helped him feel more comfortable and succeed.
A New Name
In 1996, Hakeem changed his name to reflect his journey. "Hakeem" means "wise" in Arabic. "Muata" means "he who speaks the truth" in Swahili. "Oluseyi" means "God has done this" in Yoruba. His new name shows how much his life had changed for the better.
Becoming a Doctor of Physics
Hakeem earned his Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) degree in physics from Stanford in 1999. With Dr. Walker's guidance, Hakeem helped design and build a special telescope called the Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA). This telescope was important for taking pictures of the Sun's atmosphere using special light.
Amazing Career in Science
Working in Research
From 1999 to 2001, Dr. Oluseyi worked on semiconductor research at Applied Materials. Semiconductors are materials used to make computer chips and other electronic devices.
From 2001 to 2004, he was a research fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. There, he worked on big projects like the Dark Energy Camera and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. These projects help scientists study dark energy, which is a mysterious force that makes the universe expand faster.
Teaching and NASA
From 2007 to 2019, Dr. Oluseyi was a professor at the Florida Institute of Technology. He taught in the Physics and Space Sciences departments.
From 2016 to 2019, he worked at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. He was the Space Sciences education manager for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. This means he helped guide how NASA teaches people about space science. In 2021, he was honored as a Visiting Robinson Professor at George Mason University.
Books and Leadership
In 2021, Dr. Oluseyi published his autobiography called A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars. He wrote it with Joshua Horwitz. This book tells the story of his life, from his challenging childhood to becoming a respected scientist.
As of 2022, Dr. Oluseyi is the president of the National Society of Black Physicists. Since 2024, he has been the CEO of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. These roles show his leadership in the scientific community.
Scientific Discoveries
Dr. Oluseyi's most important scientific work includes:
- Studying how mass and energy move through the Sun's atmosphere.
- Developing space telescopes to study hot gases in space and dark energy.
- Creating new technologies for ultraviolet light, detectors, computer chips, and ion propulsion (a way to power spacecraft).
Investigating History
In 2021, Dr. Oluseyi looked into the role of former NASA administrator James E. Webb during a time in the 1950s and 1960s. Some people had concerns about the James Webb Space Telescope being named after him. Dr. Oluseyi found no evidence that Webb was involved in the controversial events. NASA later confirmed his findings.
Family Life
Dr. Oluseyi met his wife, Jessica, at Tougaloo College. They have a daughter and a son together. Dr. Oluseyi also has another son from an earlier relationship.
