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Marcia J. Rieke

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Marcia J. Rieke
Born
Marcia Jean Keyes

June 13, 1951
Hillsdale, Michigan, U.S.
Alma materMassachusetts Institute of Technology
AwardsGruber Cosmology Prize (2024)
Scientific career
FieldsAstronomy and Astrophysics
InstitutionsUniversity of Arizona
Steward Observatory
ThesisThe Distribution of Celestial Infrared Sources. (1976)
Doctoral advisorSusan G. Kleinmann

Marcia Jean Rieke (/ˈriːki/ REE-kee[1]) is an American astronomer. She is a Regents' Professor of Astronomy and associate department head at the University of Arizona.[2] Rieke is the Principal Investigator on the near-infrared camera (NIRCam) for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).[3] Marcia Rieke is considered by many to be one of the "founding mothers" of infrared astronomy, along with Judith Pipher.[4]

Early life and education

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Marcia Rieke was born Marcia Keyes on June 13, 1951, in Hillsdale, Michigan. Rieke and her family soon after moved to Midland, Michigan where she attended elementary, middle and high school. The presence of the Dow Chemical Company headquarters in Midland made science a topic of importance for kids throughout the school system.[3] She graduated from Midland High School (Midland, Michigan) in 1969.

Rieke studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1972 and her Ph.D. in 1976, both in physics.[3]

Career and research

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After receiving her degrees from MIT, Rieke became a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Arizona in 1976, and has remained there ever since, now as Regents' Professor of Astronomy and formerly as Associate Department Head for the Steward Observatory. Her scientific research interests include infrared observations of galactic nuclei and galaxies in the early universe (high-redshift galaxies). Her early career at the University of Arizona was focused on the development of infrared cameras at the Steward Observatory. She was a co-investigator for the multiband imaging photometer on the Spitzer Space Telescope, which flew from 2003-2020. She was then the deputy-Principal Investigator on the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Rieke served as the Principal Investigator for the Webb's NIRCam from 2002-2022.[3] Rieke was also involved with several infrared ground-based observatories, including the MMT Observatory in Arizona. She was vice chair for Program Prioritization of the Astro2010 Decadal Survey Committee, "New Worlds, New Horizons".[4] Her work with space-based infrared telescopes has investigated composition and formation of early galaxies.[5]

In 2007, Rieke was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.[6]

In 2012, Rieke was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.[7][8]

She was elected a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society in 2020.[9]

In 2023, she received a NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal for her contribution to the field of astronomy and her key roles in the development of cutting-edge instruments for the James Webb Space Telescope.[10]

Honors and awards

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Personal life

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Marcia Rieke is married to the infrared astronomer George H. Rieke.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Wonder Makes Me Predict the Past | Marcia J. Rieke, Astronomer". YouTube. November 15, 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Marcia J Rieke - UA Profiles". profiles.arizona.edu.
  3. ^ a b c d "MEET: MARCIA J. RIEKE, PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR FOR THE WEBB TELESCOPE NIRCAM AND PROFESSOR OF ASTRONOMY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA". jwst.nasa.gov. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b "AAS Committee on the Status of Women". cswa.aas.org. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  5. ^ a b "2024 Gruber Cosmology Prize | Gruber Foundation". gruber.yale.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  6. ^ "Noteworthy - Select Prizes and Awards". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Astronomer Marcia Rieke Elected to National Academy of Sciences". spaceref.com. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  8. ^ "Marcia Rieke - National Academy of Sciences Member Directory". www.nasonline.org. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  9. ^ "AAS Fellows". AAS. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  10. ^ "NASA honors UArizona Regents Professors, alumna for contributions to space exploration and astronomy". news.arizona.edu. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  11. ^ Recipients of the Bruce Medal
  12. ^ "Marcia J. Rieke - University of Arizona".
  13. ^ Stolte, Daniel; Communications, University (19 October 2011). "Meet the Riekes: Researcher Spouses Speak on Science, Football and Shutterbug Scuffles". UANews. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
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