NASA Honors Pioneering Woman Astronomer

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has established a fellowship to honor a woman who was a key contributor in the development of the Hubble Space Telescope. The Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship in Astrophysics will provide funding for up to five years for early-career scientists.

Applicants can submit proposals for one-year concept studies. Between three and six scientists will receive support for one year. After that, scientists chosen for the Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship will be eligible for four years of additional funding up to $1 million.

Nancy Grace Roman is a native of Nashville, Tennessee. A 1946 graduate of Swarthmore College, she went on to earn a doctorate in astronomy at the University of Chicago. She was named chief of astronomy at NASA in 1959. She retired from NASA in 1979. Here is a video of Dr. Roman discussing her work.