Nancy Roman

Nancy Grace Roman (May 16, 1925 – December 25, 2018) was an American astronomer who made important contributions to stellar classification and stellar motions. The first female executive at NASA, Roman served as NASA's first chief of astronomy throughout the 1960s and 1970s, establishing her as one of the "visionary founders of the US civilian space program". Throughout her career, Roman was an active public speaker and educator, and an advocate for women in the sciences.

In May 2020, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope would be named the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in recognition of her enduring contributions to astronomy.

Education

Swarthmore

Roman attended Swarthmore College, intending to study astronomy. Roman's work at the NRL included radio astronomy, geodesy, and even the propagation of sound underwater. Outside her work, Roman enjoyed going to lectures and concerts and was active in the American Association of University Women. William Randolph Lovelace II Award, American Astronautical Association – 1979 & 2011 Woman of Distinction from American Association of University Women, Maryland – 2016 Honorary Doctorates from Russell Sage College (1966), Hood College (1969), Bates College (1971) and Swarthmore College (1976) The asteroid 2516 Roman is named in her honor NASA fellowship program, The Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship in Astrophysics, is named for her