Dr. Jane Rigby is a civil servant Astrophysicist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Rigby serves as the Senior Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
Jane R Rigby
(SENIOR PROJECT SCIENTIST FOR THE JWST)
Org Code: 660
NASA/GSFCMail Code: 660
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer: NASA
Brief Bio
Research Interests
Star-forming galaxies
Astrophysics: GalaxiesGalaxies undergo vigorous bursts of star formation that quickly build up stellar mass, and may, through violent outflows, prevent future star formation. Dr. Rigby investigates the evolution of star formation in galaxies through cosmic time, using multiwavelength spectroscopy and photometry.
Gravitational Lensing
Astrophysics: GalaxiesRare gravitational lenses act like "nature's telescopes", magnifying the background universe by factors of up to 100x, enabling Dr. Rigby and collaborators to peer inside normal galaxies at the epoch of galaxy assembly.
Obscured Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)
Astrophysics: Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)Much of the growth of supermassive black holes is hidden from us, due to large columns of obscuring gas and dust. Dr. Rigby studies these obscured active galactic nuclei, with a focus on their multiwavelength properties, and how to identify the subset that are highly obscured.
Future telescopes
Astrophysics: Technology & MissionsRigby supports the development of future NASA mission concepts. Rigby serves on the Science & Technology Definition Team (STDT) for NASA's mission concept of a Large UV/Optical/Infrared Telescope (LUVOIR).
Positions/Employment
Astrophysicist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD
October 2010 - Present
Spitzer Fellow and Carnegie Fellow
The Carnegie Observatories - Pasadena, CA
October 2006 - September 2010
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
The University of Arizona - Tucson, AZ
October 2000 - July 2003
Education
Ph.D., Astronomy, March 2006, The University of Arizona
M.S., Astronomy, May 2003, The University of Arizona
B.S., Physics, May 2000, with Highest Distinction, Penn State
B.S., Astronomy and Astrophysics, May 2000, with Honors and Highest Distinction, Penn State
M.S., Astronomy, May 2003, The University of Arizona
B.S., Physics, May 2000, with Highest Distinction, Penn State
B.S., Astronomy and Astrophysics, May 2000, with Honors and Highest Distinction, Penn State
Awards
- 2018 - John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for Space Science
- 2016 - Robbert H. Goddard Award for Science to the JWST Project Science Team
- 2015 - Peer Award, Astrophysics Science Division, NASA GSFC
- 2014 - NASA Group Achievement Award to the NuSTAR Science Team
- 2014 - Robert H. Goddard Award for Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity
- 2013 - Robert H. Goddard Award for Exceptional Achievement for Science
- 2013 - Outstanding Alumni Award, Eberly College of Science, Penn State