It’s time for Vera Rubin story time.
If you haven’t heard of her until today, this is your lucky day.
If you haven’t heard of her until today, this is your lucky day.
With painstakingly tedious work, Rubin discovered roughly a third of the universe was missing. She then spent her career trying to disprove herself by searching for alternative explanations.
Ever heard of dark matter? She’s why we know it halos galaxies & makes them spin funky
Ever heard of dark matter? She’s why we know it halos galaxies & makes them spin funky
We talk a lot about invisible support and emotional labour.
Rubin’s family chipped in to enable her success:
Rubin’s family chipped in to enable her success:
The story of how Rubin broke the “No Women” rule for Palomar Observatory (then largest in the world) is the stuff of legends.
Rubin manually edited the application form (which banned women), was awarded time, showed up, & modified the single restroom to be gender-inclusive.
Rubin manually edited the application form (which banned women), was awarded time, showed up, & modified the single restroom to be gender-inclusive.
Rubin kept a stockpile of “The Paper Bag Princess” to hand out to little girls she met on the premise that the world needed more self-rescuing princesses.
This remains a low-key babyshower present tradition in astro.
This remains a low-key babyshower present tradition in astro.
Rubin has absolutely no patience for sexist bullshit. She coordinated annual campaigns to nomination women for science prizes.
When asked what would be fair and when she’d be satisfied, Rubin would muse that with enough years of 100% women awardees, it should reach parity.
When asked what would be fair and when she’d be satisfied, Rubin would muse that with enough years of 100% women awardees, it should reach parity.
Like Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Rubin harnessed the injustice that we all knew she should be honoured with a Novel Prize to push for the advancement of a better, more inclusive culture for science.
Rubin’s Jewish faith was incredibly important to her, and she’d regularly gather visiting academics to her home to celebrate the holidays so they wouldn’t be alone.
May you have an easy fast for Yom Kippur.
May you have an easy fast for Yom Kippur.
Rubin didn’t see a conflict in balancing work and life.
One of the pieces of advice she’d give astronomy parents was to never apologize for leaving home for observing time, to instead teach their kids that their parents could miss them yet still love their work.
One of the pieces of advice she’d give astronomy parents was to never apologize for leaving home for observing time, to instead teach their kids that their parents could miss them yet still love their work.
Rubin advocated for better policies to support families in science.
It’s a small piece of a larger puzzle on her advocacy for extended maternity/paternity leave, but a former postdoc still appreciates her sending him home early to prepare for the arrival of his adopted twins.
It’s a small piece of a larger puzzle on her advocacy for extended maternity/paternity leave, but a former postdoc still appreciates her sending him home early to prepare for the arrival of his adopted twins.
When I interviewed people about Rubin after her death in 2016, I was swamped with stories of kindness.
She’d give students her professional attention & respect at conferences. She went beyond mentoring into sponsoring real career-altering opportunities.
She made science better.
She’d give students her professional attention & respect at conferences. She went beyond mentoring into sponsoring real career-altering opportunities.
She made science better.
Recommended reading:
astronomy.com/news/2016/10/v…
washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-…
astronomy.com/news/2017/01/v…
aip.org/history-progra…
blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/i…
And anything else you can find. The more you learn, the more in awe you’ll be.
astronomy.com/news/2016/10/v…
washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-…
astronomy.com/news/2017/01/v…
aip.org/history-progra…
blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/i…
And anything else you can find. The more you learn, the more in awe you’ll be.
Rubin died in 2016, making her ineligible for the Nobel Prize in Physics awarded today honouring research in dark matter.
No matter how hard the Nobel Prize committee tries to erase women in physics, they can’t remove the incredible influence of Vera Rubin.
No matter how hard the Nobel Prize committee tries to erase women in physics, they can’t remove the incredible influence of Vera Rubin.
Aside:
I use Vera as my coffee shop name.
It’s distinctive, generally phonetic enough to work, and sometimes people ask questions that give me an opening to tell them stories of this incredible scientist and human.
I use Vera as my coffee shop name.
It’s distinctive, generally phonetic enough to work, and sometimes people ask questions that give me an opening to tell them stories of this incredible scientist and human.
Note:
I am ALWAYS collecting Vera Rubin stories.
If you met her and have one to tell, give me a ping, even if it’s just that you met her at a conference once upon a time. These small moments add up to a lifetime that deserves to be remembered.
I am ALWAYS collecting Vera Rubin stories.
If you met her and have one to tell, give me a ping, even if it’s just that you met her at a conference once upon a time. These small moments add up to a lifetime that deserves to be remembered.
