John C. Mather facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Cromwell Mather
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Mather in 2015
|
|
| Born | August 7, 1946 Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | Swarthmore College University of California, Berkeley |
| Known for | Cosmic microwave background radiation studies |
| Awards | Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics (1993) Nobel Prize in Physics (2006) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astrophysics, cosmology |
| Institutions | NASA University of Maryland Columbia University |
| Thesis | Far Infrared Spectrometry of the Cosmic Background Radiation (1974) |
| Doctoral advisor | Paul L. Richards |
| Signature | |
 |
|
John Cromwell Mather (born August 7, 1946) is a famous American scientist. He is an astrophysicist, who studies space and stars, and a cosmologist, who studies the universe's origin and future. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his amazing work on the Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE). He shared this prize with another scientist, George Smoot.
Their work with COBE helped prove the big-bang theory. This theory explains how the universe started. The Nobel Prize committee even said that the COBE project made studying the universe a "precision science." This means it became much more accurate and exact.
Dr. Mather works as a top astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Maryland. He also teaches physics at the University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. In 2007, Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in The World. In 2012, Time magazine again listed him as one of the 25 most influential people in space.
From 1995 until 2023, Dr. Mather was the senior project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This is a very powerful space telescope. He was followed in this role by Jane Rigby.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Mather was born on August 7, 1946. He grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. He went to Newton High School in New Jersey.
He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Physics in 1968. He studied at Swarthmore College. Later, he received his Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in Physics in 1974. He got this advanced degree from the University of California, Berkeley. After that, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
Exploring the Universe with COBE
Dr. Mather's most famous work was with the Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE). This satellite was launched by NASA. Its mission was to study the very first light from the universe. This light is called the Cosmic microwave background radiation. It is like an echo from the big-bang.
The COBE mission helped scientists understand the early universe much better. It provided strong evidence for the big-bang theory. This theory says that the universe began from a very hot, dense point. Then it expanded over billions of years. The COBE project was a huge step forward for cosmology. It helped turn cosmology into a very exact science.
Working on the James Webb Space Telescope
After his work with COBE, Dr. Mather became involved with another major project. He was the senior project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This telescope is the most powerful space telescope ever built. It was launched into space in 2021.
The JWST can see very far into space. It can even look back in time to see the first galaxies forming. It helps scientists learn about how stars and planets are born. Dr. Mather played a key role in guiding this incredible project for many years.
Awards and Recognition
John Mather has received many important awards for his scientific work.
- In 1993, he won the Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics.
- In 2006, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. He shared this prize with George Smoot. This was for their work on the COBE satellite.
- He is a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences. This is a very high honor for scientists in the U.S.
- He has also received several honorary Doctor of Science degrees. These are special degrees given to honor his achievements.
Dr. Mather is also the Science Director for the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists.
