Jennifer Wiseman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennifer J. Wiseman
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| Alma mater | MIT Harvard University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astrophysics |
| Institutions | Johns Hopkins University NASA Headquarters NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center |
Jennifer J. Wiseman is an American astronomer who works as a Senior Project Scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope. She helps guide the science done with this famous space telescope.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jennifer Wiseman grew up in a country area in Mountain Home, Arkansas. She loved science from a young age. She went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and earned a degree in physics. Later, she got her Ph.D. in Astronomy from Harvard University in 1995.
While she was still a student in 1987, Jennifer made an exciting discovery. She found a new comet, which was later named 114P/Wiseman-Skiff after her and another astronomer.
Working at NASA
Today, Dr. Wiseman is a senior astrophysicist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This is where she works on the Hubble Space Telescope. She helps make sure the telescope is used to its fullest potential for scientific discoveries.
Before her current role, she led a team that studied planets outside our solar system and how stars form. Her research focuses on areas in our galaxy where new stars are being born. She uses different types of telescopes, including radio, optical, and infrared, to study these regions. She is especially interested in giant clouds of gas and dust where stars begin, and the young stars themselves. She even led a big project to map a star-forming area in the Orion constellation.
Sharing Science with Everyone
Dr. Wiseman is also very passionate about sharing science with the public. She believes it's important for everyone to understand scientific discoveries. She has worked with groups like the American Astronomical Society to help guide how science is used in society.
She often gives talks about the wonders of astronomy and how exciting scientific discovery can be. You might have seen her on TV shows like NOVA or heard her on National Public Radio, or read about her in newspapers like The New York Times. She has also been part of projects that explore the connection between science and purpose.
Science and Belief
Jennifer Wiseman is also involved in discussions about science and faith. She is a member of groups that explore how scientific understanding and religious beliefs can relate to each other. From 2010 to 2022, she directed a program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) that focused on dialogue about science, ethics, and religion. In this role, she spoke to many organizations about her views on Christianity and science.
Awards
- Hubble Fellow - 1998
- Jansky Fellow - 1995
See also
In Spanish: Jennifer Wiseman para niños
- List of women in leadership positions on astronomical instrumentation projects
