Dr. Roberta Humphreys

By Michael on March 24, 2009 at 10:35 am | In Blog Posts | No Comments

Today is Ada Lovelace Day, “an international day of blogging to draw attention to women excelling in technology”.

People familiar with Slacker Astronomy have probably heard of Dr. Roberta Humphreys from my interviews with her. She is a professional astronomer at the University of Minnesota and she is a very well-connected and influential astronomer.

When Roberta Humphreys arrived at the University in 1972, the newly hired 28-year-old assistant professor of astronomy was, as she recalls, “the fifth and youngest woman faculty member in IT.

Her accolades are seriously impressive:

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR 2001-, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 2002-2007; Fellow, AAAS 1980, Humboldt Senior Scientist Award, Federal Republic of Germany, 1988, George W. Taylor Research Award, Institute of Technology, 1985. AAS Tinsley Prize Committee 1994-96, Chair 1995-96; AAS Nominating Committee 1998-2000, Chair, 2000; NASA UV/Optical Review Panel 1995; NASA Senior Review (Office of Space Science) 2001; NASA Senior Review (The Universe) 2006; NSF Special Review for AURA 2000, NSF Special Review Panel for ITR/NVO 2001; NVO Science Definition Team 2001-02; University of Minnesota Member Representative to AURA 2001- 2010, AURA Nominating Committee 2006, Space Telescope Institute Council (AURA) 2004-2010. Senate/Faculty Consultative Committee 1995-96, 1998-2000, Vice-Chair University/Faculty senate 1995-96, 1999-2000;

I am writing about her for several reasons. She has been very kind and supportive of me, a lowly amateur astronomer who wanted to get involved with professional research. She is discussed in the book Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos about her time working with (and disagreeing with) Sandage on the determination the Hubble constant. The “Humphreys-Davidson Limit“, an empirical upper limit of the mass of stars which can become a red supergiant, is named after her and her husband, Dr. Kris Davidson. She is someone that everyone in the astronomical world knows is formidable and not to be trifled with. She is a consummate professional and a brilliant astronomer. Her work on massive stars is unequaled.

Further, she has worked her entire career not just on astronomy but on broadening the role of women in science in general.

She is a (short) giant and I am very grateful that I have been able to work with her and get to know her.