Lucianne Walkowicz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lucianne Walkowicz
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Lucianne Walkowicz in 2017
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| Born | 1979 (age 45–46) New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Johns Hopkins University University of Washington |
| Spouse(s) | Frank Okay |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy, performing arts, activism |
| Institutions | UC Berkeley Princeton University Adler Planetarium |
| Thesis | Self-Consistent Quiescent Model Atmospheres for M Dwarfs (2008) |
| Doctoral advisor | Suzanne L. Hawley |
Lucianne Walkowicz, born in 1979, is an American astronomer, artist, and activist. They are known for studying how stars' magnetic fields affect whether planets around them could support life. Until 2022, they worked at the Adler Planetarium.
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Lucianne Walkowicz's Career
Since 2008, Lucianne Walkowicz has led the team for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) that looks for changing stars. They also started the LSST Data Science Fellowship program. This program helps train future scientists.
Walkowicz is well-known around the world for working to protect our dark night skies. They want to make sure we can still see the stars clearly. In 2011, they became a Kavli Fellow for the National Academy of Sciences. In 2012, they were named a Senior Fellow by TED.
In 2017, Walkowicz became a special chair at the Library of Congress. This role focused on astrobiology, which is the study of life in the universe. Their project was called "Fear of a Green Planet." It looked at how humans could explore Mars in a fair and thoughtful way. This included studying Mars itself and learning from past explorations on Earth.
Walkowicz studied physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University. They earned their master's and PhD degrees in astronomy from the University of Washington. While at Johns Hopkins, they helped test cameras for the Hubble Space Telescope. This work sparked their love for astronomy.
In 2021, Walkowicz left their role on NASA's Astrophysics Advisory Committee. They resigned because they had concerns about how NASA handled the naming of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Walkowicz also helped start the JustSpace Alliance. This group works to make space exploration more fair and ethical for everyone. They believe that thinking about the future in space can help us create a better world today.
Public Appearances
Lucianne Walkowicz has appeared in several films and TV shows:
- They were in the 2016 documentary Lo and Behold by Werner Herzog.
- They appeared in the National Geographic series MARS.
- They were featured on WGN Evening News in 2020, talking about the "Christmas Star."
- They were also in the 2022 Discovery documentary "Last Exit: Space."
Awards and Honors
An asteroid was named in honor of Lucianne Walkowicz. The asteroid, called 205599 Walkowicz, was found in 2001. The official naming was announced in 2013.
Trademark Lawsuit
In April 2020, Lucianne Walkowicz filed a lawsuit against the toy company Mattel and its brand American Girl. The lawsuit claimed that the company copied Walkowicz's appearance for their Luciana Vega astronaut doll without permission.
Personal Life
Lucianne Walkowicz is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.
They are also a movement artist. They practice aerial circus arts, like Aerial Silks and Lyra. In 2019, they performed a piece called "40 Orbits" at Carnegie Hall.
See also
In Spanish: Lucianne Walkowicz para niños
