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Christine Wilson (scientist)

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Christine Wilson
NationalityCanadian, American
Alma materUniversity of Toronto
California Institute of Technology
Scientific career
FieldsAstronomy, Physics
InstitutionsMcMaster University
ThesisStar formation and the interstellar medium in M33 (1990)
Doctoral advisorNicholas Z. Scoville

Christine D. Wilson is a Canadian-American physicist and astronomer, currently a University Distinguished Professor at McMaster University.[1][2]

On August 5, 1986, Wilson discovered a comet, later named Comet Wilson (1987VII) after her, while analyzing photographic plates from the Samuel Oschin telescope at the Palomar Observatory.[3][4][5]

Early life and education

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Wilson is dual citizen of Canada and the United States.[4] She completed her bachelor's degree, majoring in physics, at the University of Toronto prior to graduate studies at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).[4] In 1986, while working for the summer as part of the Palomar Sky Survey, Wilson discovered a comet on August 5 while examining a photographic plate of a field of faint galaxies.[3][4][5] She was 24 years old at the time of her discovery.[3][4] Following convention, upon confirmation of her discovery, the comet was named Comet Wilson (1987VII).[3] [4][5] Wilson attended the California Institute of Technology where she studied the interstellar medium in the galaxy M33 with her research advisor Nick Scoville.[6] She graduated with a PhD in Astronomy in 1990.[7][8]

Career and research

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In 1992, Wilson moved to McMaster University where she is currently a University Distinguished Professor.[8][2][1] Her research is in observational astronomy, with a particular focus on the optical and radio regions.[9][10] Most of her work is focused on various components of star formation and the molecular interstellar medium, and has included use of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, Herschel Space Observatory, and the Submillimeter Array (SMA).[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Wilson is the principal investigator for three international projects associated with these telescope arrays, including the Nearby Galaxies Legacy Survey through the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, the Very Nearby Galaxies Survey from the Herschel Space Observatory, and the Submillimeter Array's Luminous Infrared Galaxies Survey.[8][17] She is also the lead for the Herschel Key Project, which examined nearby galaxies to characterize interstellar dust.[14] Furthermore, Wilson is an Associate Canadian Scientist for the Herschel Space Observatory's SPIRE instrument.[9][16] From 1999 to 2014, Wilson also served as the Canadian Project Scientist for ALMA.[8][12][11][13][9]

Wilson is a current member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).[10] On September 9, 2013, Wilson was inducted to the Royal Society of Canada for her accomplishments as a Fellow of the Academy of Science.[8] She was also awarded a Killam Research Fellowship for her work on dense gas star formation in galaxies using archival data from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array.[18] Wilson also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Associate Universities.[9]

Awards and recognition

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  • 1992 - Women's Faculty Award from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council[19][20][21]
  • 1999 - Ontario Premier's Research Excellence Award[19][20][21]
  • 2013 - Fellow of the Academy of Science, Royal Society of Canada[8][21]
  • 2015 - McMaster Distinguished University Professor[1][21]
  • 2022 - Executive Award for Outstanding Service from the Canadian Astronomical Society[22]
  • 2022-2023 - Acting President of the Canadian Astronomical Society[23]

Public engagement

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During the International Year of Astronomy (2009), Wilson was a Galileo Lecturer which entailed presenting a number of public talks around her work as part of the outreach initiative, the Galileo Lecture Series.[24][25][19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Distinguished University Professors" (PDF). mcmaster.ca. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Christine Wilson". mcmaster.ca. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Horowitz, Joy (March 29, 1987). "A New Light in the Sky". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f BARBER, MARY (1986-09-11). "A Star Is Born : Student Makes a Name for Herself and a New Comet". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  5. ^ a b c McPherson, Stephanie Sammartino (2011-08-01). Rooftop Astronomer: A Story about Maria Mitchell. Millbrook Press. ISBN 9780761382652.
  6. ^ Wilson, Christine Diana (1990). Star formation and the interstellar medium in M33 (phd thesis). California Institute of Technology.
  7. ^ "Caltech Astronomy". www.astro.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Professor Christine Wilson is Elected to the Royal Society of Canada (Sept. 9, 2013) - CASCA". 23 September 2013. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Christine Wilson - Physics & Astronomy | McMaster University". physics.mcmaster.ca. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  10. ^ a b c "International Astronomical Union | IAU". www.iau.org. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  11. ^ a b "Team | ALMA". Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  12. ^ a b "ALMA Achieves New High Frequency Observing Capabilities: Shows Planet Uranus in New Light | ALMA". Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  13. ^ a b "ASAC Members List | ALMA". Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  14. ^ a b Semeniuk, Ivan (2009-06-02). "Whirlpool Awash with Hints and Promise". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  15. ^ "Meet the team". irfu.cea.fr. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  16. ^ a b "SPIRE - Science Team". research.uleth.ca. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  17. ^ Cain, Fraser (2006-06-07). "Extreme Galaxies Help Explain the Early Universe". Universe Today. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  18. ^ "Christine Wilson - Dense Gas & Star Formation in Galaxies | Killam Laureates". killamlaureates.ca. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  19. ^ a b c "TONIGHT! Galileo Lecture: "Beyond the Visible Universe"". astronomynovascotia.ca. Archived from the original on 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  20. ^ a b "PAGSE - The Partnership Group for Science and Engineering". pagse.org. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  21. ^ a b c d "Jan.21 New eyes on the cold universe — Research @ McMaster". research.mcmaster.ca. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  22. ^ "Professor Christine Wilson wins Executive Award – CASCA". Canadian Astronomical Society. 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  23. ^ "The CASCA Board – CASCA". Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  24. ^ "Christine Wilson". www.oapt.ca. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  25. ^ Lindberg, Russo, Pedro, Christensen, Lars. IYA 2009 Final Report. IAU. ISBN 9783923524655.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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