Jean Swank facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Hebb Swank
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| Born |
Mathilde Jeanette Hebb
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| Education | |
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| Occupation | astrophysicist |
| Years active | 1975–2013 |
| Employer | NASA |
| Known for | Research in X-ray astrophysics |
Jean Hebb Swank is a famous American astrophysicist. She is known for studying amazing things in space. These include black holes and neutron stars.
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Becoming a Scientist
Jean Swank earned her first degree in physics in 1961. She studied at Bryn Mawr College. Two of her teachers there had studied at Caltech. They encouraged her to go to graduate school there.
She continued her studies at California Institute of Technology. In 1967, she earned her PhD in physics. A PhD is a very high university degree. It means you are an expert in your field.
Teaching About Physics
Jean Swank started her career as a teacher. From 1966 to 1969, she taught physics. She was an assistant professor at California State University, Los Angeles.
After she got married, she moved to Illinois. She taught at Chicago State University from 1969 to 1971.
In 1971, Jean and her husband moved to Ankara, Turkey. They both taught at the Middle East Technical University. There, she met Hakkı Boran Ögelman. He was a researcher in high-energy astrophysics. He told her about new space experiments. These experiments were for a satellite called OSO-8. It was going to launch in 1975.
When she returned to the United States, Jean Swank applied for a special research job. She got a fellowship at Goddard Space Flight Center. This is a big NASA center.
Working at NASA
Jean Swank joined NASA as a research associate. She worked in the X-ray Astrophysics Branch. This group studied X-rays from space.
Exploring X-rays in Space
Jean Swank was a main scientist for a project called the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. This was a special satellite. It launched in December 1995. It helped scientists study X-rays from space.
In 1999, Jean Swank won a special award. It was called the Bruno Rossi Prize. She shared it with Hale Bradt. They won for their important work on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. Their work led to big discoveries about objects in space. These objects give off X-rays.
Jean Swank also led another NASA project. It was called the Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Explorer (GEMS). This mission was planned to study gravity and magnetism in space. However, the GEMS mission was stopped in 2012. This was because it was going to cost too much money.
Discoveries and Awards
Throughout her time at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Jean Swank studied X-rays. She focused on X-ray light coming from black holes and neutron stars. These are very dense objects in space.
In 1993, she became a fellow of the American Physical Society. This is a big honor for physicists. She wrote or helped write over 300 science papers. These papers were published in science magazines or by NASA.
In June 2013, Jean Swank received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. This is one of NASA's highest awards. It is given for outstanding service.
Jean Swank retired from NASA in 2013. The Goddard Space Flight Center still lists her as an emeritus scientist. This means she is a retired scientist who keeps her title.
In 2020, she was chosen as a Legacy Fellow. This was by the American Astronomical Society.
Personal Life
Jean Swank met her husband, Lowell James Swank, during a summer research program. He was also a physicist. They got married in 1969. He took a job at the National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois.
See also
In Spanish: Jean Swank para niños
- List of women in leadership positions on astronomical instrumentation projects
