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Nancy RomanNancy Grace Roman was NASA's first Chief of Astronomy and its first female executive. In setting up the agency's space science program, Roman advocated for and secured congressional funding for the Hubble Space Telescope and convened astronomers and engineers to align scientific needs with its design. For her work, she was nicknamed the "mother of Hubble." Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Roman earned a doctorate in astronomy in 1949 from the University of Chicago, where she would become the first woman in its astronomy faculty. By identifying patterns in the properties of stars across the Milky Way, Roman developed a method to more quickly find metal-rich stars and contributed to future models of the galaxy's formation. In 1959, just months after the agency began operations, Roman joined NASA from the radio astronomy program at the US Naval Research Laboratory. She founded NASA's scientific ballooning program, led the orbiting astronomical and solar observatory programs, and established policies for future space science missions. Seventeen months after Roman's death, NASA renamed the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope to the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Launching in 2026, the telescope will investigate dark energy and dark matter, search for exoplanets, and explore additional astrophysical phenomena.Explore Nancy Roman
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During Nancy Roman's tenure as the agency's Chief of Astronomy, NASA launched Stargazer—the first successful space telescope—as part of the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory program. NASAA longtime member of the American Association of University Women, Nancy Roman bequeathed over $8M to the AAUW upon her death in 2018 to increase the number of women in STEM careers. American Association of University WomenOver a decade before the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, Nancy Roman oversaw the Orbiting Solar Observatory program, which launched eight spinning spacecraft into low Earth orbit to study the sun. The Space ReviewNancy Roman credits observing a rare and unexpected change in the light from a pair of stars with making her well known in the astronomical community before her role at NASA. ScienceNicknamed the "mother of Hubble," Nancy Roman gave lectures on the potential of space science, coordinated between astronomers and engineers, and secured government funding for the space telescope. NASAAfter retiring in 1979, Nancy Roman worked at the Goddard Space Flight Center—eventually becoming director of its Astronomical Data Center—before retiring again to teach students and record audio textbooks for students with disabilities. NASANancy Roman's research included a paper that provided insights into the formation of the Milky Way galaxy, which the Astrophysical Journal selected as one of the 100 most important papers during its first century of publication. Annual ReviewsAs the first female faculty member in the University of Chicago's Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Nancy Roman earned less than two-thirds of what her male counterparts earned. University of ChicagoAmong the recipients of the 1962 Federal Woman's Award—an award for women in civil service—was Nancy Roman, NASA's Chief of Astronomy and Solar Physics. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and MuseumNancy Roman, NASA's first Chief of Astronomy and the architect of the Hubble Space Telescope, was discouraged from pursuing science throughout her academic career. NASA GoddardThe Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope—the first major NASA space telescope named after a woman—is expected to survey 12% of the sky in 17 months, a feat that would take the Hubble Space Telescope over a thousand years. Dr. BeckyView a simulated demonstration of how the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will survey large portions of the sky to capture in 90 minutes what took three years for the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA GoddardLego's Women of NASA set honors four NASA pioneers: computer scientist Margaret Hamilton, astronaut Sally Ride, astronaut Mae Jemison, and astronomer Nancy Grace Roman. LEGOThrough 2025, two-thirds of known exoplanets—planets that orbit stars other than the sun—have been detected via transits, where the objects cause periodic, consistent dips in their host star's brightness by passing in front of it. IEEE SpectrumThe 45 planets astronomers think are most likely to host alien lifeThe list includes familiar names like Proxima Centauri b (4 light-years away) and four planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system (about 40 light-years away), but even the nearest of those would take humanity roughly 114,000 years to reach at current spacecraft speeds. The list's real near-term value is as a targeting guide for the James Webb and upcoming Nancy Grace Roman space telescopes. Popular ScienceA quote from Sally Ride“Three Secrets to Success: Be willing to learn new things. Be able to assimilate new information quickly. Be able to get along with and work with other people.” Quote FancyA quote from Robin Williams"There’s no shame in failing. The only shame is not giving things your best shot." Quote FancyThe top 40 athletes of the Title IX eraPublished to mark the 40th anniversary of Title IX's passage, this Sports Illustrated article ranks the top 40 athletes whose careers were significantly shaped by the 1972 law. It highlights pioneers who broke barriers and excelled post-Title IX, emphasizing their athletic achievements and cultural influence. Sports Illustrated
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