Jaylee Burley Mead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jaylee Burley Mead
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Jaylee Mead, from her 2012 NASA obituary.
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| Born |
Barbara Jaylee Montague
June 14, 1929 Clayton, North Carolina
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| Died | September 14, 2012 Washington, D.C.
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Jaylee M. Burley (before 1968) |
| Occupation | astronomer |
Barbara Jaylee Montague Burley Mead (born June 14, 1929 – died September 14, 2012) was an amazing American astronomer. She worked for a long time at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Jaylee was also well-known for supporting the arts. She gave a lot of money to theaters and cultural groups in Washington, D.C.
Growing Up
Barbara Jaylee Montague was born on June 14, 1929. Her hometown was near Clayton, North Carolina. Her parents, Roger and Barbara Montague, owned a general store.
Jaylee loved learning. She went to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It was a college just for women back then. In 1951, she earned a degree in mathematics.
Later, she continued her studies. She got a master's degree in education from Stanford University in 1954. Then, in 1970, she earned a special doctorate degree in astronomy. She studied at Georgetown University with a famous astronomer named Vera Rubin.
Her Exciting Career at NASA
Jaylee Burley Mead started working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in 1959. She was one of the very first employees there! Her employee badge number was 0010.
She created a huge database of stars and galaxies. This database is still used by scientists today. She also helped to catalog "transient lunar phenomena." These are strange, short-lived glows or changes seen on the Moon's surface.
Jaylee was also part of the Goddard amateur theater group. She loved acting and performing!
She worked at the National Space Science Data Center. There, she held many important roles. She was an assistant chief and an associate chief. She also helped coordinate data for a special telescope called the International Ultraviolet Explorer.
Her hard work was recognized. In 1986, she received the NASA Medal for Scientific Leadership. She also won the Women in Aerospace Lifetime Achievement Award. Plus, she got the Goddard Award for Outstanding Service.
Supporting the Arts
Jaylee Burley Mead and her second husband, Gilbert Mead, loved to help others. In 1989, they started the Mead Family Foundation. They gave a lot of money to theaters and cultural groups. These groups were mainly in the Washington, D.C. area.
Their gift to the Arena Stage theater was huge. It was the largest single private gift ever given to an American theater. Jaylee Mead was also the head of the board for the Studio Theatre from 1994 to 2000.
Because of their generosity, many places are named after them. These include the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theatre. The Mead Theatre at the Studio Theatre complex is also named for them. They also sponsored talks about space exploration at the National Air and Space Museum.
Jaylee Mead also served on the boards of other important organizations. These included the Carnegie Institution for Science and the National Children's Museum.
About Her Life
Jaylee Montague married Gordon Burley first. They later divorced. In 1968, she married another scientist named Gilbert Mead. Gilbert Mead passed away in 2007.
Jaylee Mead died on September 14, 2012. She was 83 years old and passed away in Washington, D.C. She died from heart failure.
