Andrea Ghez
Encyclopedia
Andrea Mia Ghez is an American astronomer
and professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCLA. She received a BS in physics
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1987 and her Ph.D.
at the California Institute of Technology
in 1992. In 2004, Discover
magazine listed Ghez as one of the top 20 scientists in the United States who have shown a high degree of understanding in their respective fields.
Her current research involves using high spatial resolution imaging techniques, such as the adaptive optics
system at the Keck telescopes
, to study star-forming regions and the supermassive black hole
at the center of the Milky Way galaxy known as Sagittarius A*. She uses the kinematics
of stars near the center of the galaxy as a probe to investigate this region. The high resolution of the Keck telescopes gave a significant improvement over the first major study of galactic center kinematics by Reinhard Genzel
's group.
In 2004, Ghez was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
. She's appeared in a long list of notable media presentations. The documentaries have been produced by organizations such as BBC
, Discovery Channel
, and The History Channel
; in 2006 there was a presentation on Nova
.
. Since 1995, object SO-2 has made almost a complete elliptical orbit. The graphic was made from snapshots of the position of the various stars over the last decade. Several decades more will be required to complete the orbits of some of these stars.
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCLA. She received a BS in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1987 and her Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
in 1992. In 2004, Discover
Discover (magazine)
Discover is an American science magazine that publishes articles about science for a general audience. The monthly magazine was launched in October 1980 by Time Inc. It was sold to Family Media, the owners of Health, in 1987. Walt Disney Company bought the magazine when Family Media went out of...
magazine listed Ghez as one of the top 20 scientists in the United States who have shown a high degree of understanding in their respective fields.
Her current research involves using high spatial resolution imaging techniques, such as the adaptive optics
Adaptive optics
Adaptive optics is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effect of wavefront distortions. It is used in astronomical telescopes and laser communication systems to remove the effects of atmospheric distortion, and in retinal imaging systems to reduce the...
system at the Keck telescopes
Keck telescopes
The W. M. Keck Observatory is a two-telescope astronomical observatory at an elevation of near the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawai'i. The primary mirrors of each of the two telescopes are in diameter, making them the second largest optical telescopes in the world, slightly behind the Gran Telescopio...
, to study star-forming regions and the supermassive black hole
Supermassive black hole
A supermassive black hole is the largest type of black hole in a galaxy, in the order of hundreds of thousands to billions of solar masses. Most, and possibly all galaxies, including the Milky Way, are believed to contain supermassive black holes at their centers.Supermassive black holes have...
at the center of the Milky Way galaxy known as Sagittarius A*. She uses the kinematics
Kinematics
Kinematics is the branch of classical mechanics that describes the motion of bodies and systems without consideration of the forces that cause the motion....
of stars near the center of the galaxy as a probe to investigate this region. The high resolution of the Keck telescopes gave a significant improvement over the first major study of galactic center kinematics by Reinhard Genzel
Reinhard Genzel
Reinhard Genzel is a German astrophysicist.-Life:Genzel studied physics at the University of Bonn where he did his PhD in 1978 and, in the same year, his OhD thesis on radioastronomy at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy...
's group.
In 2004, Ghez was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. She's appeared in a long list of notable media presentations. The documentaries have been produced by organizations such as BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
, and The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
; in 2006 there was a presentation on Nova
NOVA (TV series)
Nova is a popular science television series from the U.S. produced by WGBH Boston. It can be seen on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, and in more than 100 other countries...
.
Black holes at the galactic center
This graphic shows the partial orbits of many stars orbiting the black hole at the Galactic CenterGalactic Center
The Galactic Center is the rotational center of the Milky Way galaxy. It is located at a distance of 8.33±0.35 kpc from the Earth in the direction of the constellations Sagittarius, Ophiuchus, and Scorpius where the Milky Way appears brightest...
. Since 1995, object SO-2 has made almost a complete elliptical orbit. The graphic was made from snapshots of the position of the various stars over the last decade. Several decades more will be required to complete the orbits of some of these stars.
Awards
- Annie J. Cannon Award in AstronomyAnnie J. Cannon Award in AstronomyThe Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy is awarded annually by the American Astronomical Society to a woman resident of North America, who is within five years of receipt of a Ph.D., for distinguished contributions to astronomy or for similar contributions in related sciences which have immediate...
(1994) - Packard Fellowship award (1996)
- Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in AstronomyNewton Lacy Pierce Prize in AstronomyThe Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in Astronomy is awarded annually by the American Astronomical Society to a young astronomer for outstanding achievement in observational astronomical research.Pierce Prize winners:* 1974 Edwin M. Kellogg...
of the American Astronomical SocietyAmerican Astronomical SocietyThe American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
(1998) - Sackler PrizeSackler PrizeThe Raymond and Beverly Sackler International Prize is a $40,000 prize in the disciplines of either physics or chemistry awarded by Tel Aviv University each year for young scientists who have made outstanding and fundamental contributions in their fields. It was created through the generosity of...
(2004) - Gold Shield Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence (2004)
- MacArthur FellowshipMacArthur Fellows ProgramThe MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T...
(2008)
Selected publications
- The Multiplicity of T Tauri Stars in the Taurus-Auriga & Ophiuchus-Scorpius Star Forming Regions: A 2.2 micron Imaging Survey, 1993, AJ, 106, 2005
- High Spatial Resolution Imaging of Pre-Main Sequence Binary Stars: Resolving the Relationship Between Disks and Close Companions, 1997, ApJ, 490, 353
- High Proper Motions in the Vicinity of Sgr A*: Unambiguous Evidence for a Massive Central Black Hole, 1998, ApJ, 509 678
- The Accelerations of Stars Orbiting the Milky Way's Central Black Hole, 2000, Nature, 407, 349
- The First Measurement of Spectral Lines in a Short-Period Star Bound to the Galaxy's Central Black Hole: A Paradox of Youth, 2003, ApJLetters, 586, 126