A collection of archival papers from Nancy Grace Roman, the first chief of astronomy at NASA, is now available online through the American Institute of Physics (AIP) Neils Bohr Library & Archives. The collection features correspondence, memorabilia, and ephemera from throughout Dr. Roman’s lifetime and 20 years with NASA, with materials ranging from childhood schoolwork, scientific research, and awards from her time at NASA.
Born in 1925 in Nashville, Tennessee, Dr. Roman earned a bachelor’s degree in astronomy at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania in 1946. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago and was hired as the first woman faculty member in the university’s department of astronomy and astrophysics. However, she ultimately left after determining she would not get tenure. In 1959, Dr. Roman began her career with NASA, just six months after the administration was established. She quickly rose through the ranks and became chief of astronomy and solar physics in the Office of Space Science. Dr. Roman passed away in 2018 at the age of 93.
In August, NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a wide-field infrared survey telescope with a field of view that is 100 times greater than that of the Hubble Space Telescope. The Roman Telescope is designed to explore the mysteries of dark matter, dark energy, and exoplanets.