John Johnson
Early Life
John Johnson grew up in St Louis, USA. He has a Bachelor's degree in Physics from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a PhD in Astronomy from the University of California, Berkeley. John’s interest in astronomy was sparked when he saw the Perseids meteor shower. He was 21 at the time and did not take any astronomy courses before he started his PhD. John did not have a lot of confidence when he started studying astronomy.
Year born: 1977
Research Areas: Exoplanets
"I found the opportunity to find planets orbiting other stars irresistible. Once I learned that this was a viable career path, I immediately hopped on board."
Beth A. Brown
Early Life
Beth was born in Roanoke, Virginia, USA. She was always asking questions as a child and wanted to know how things worked. She had a passion for science fiction. During a school trip to an observatory, she looked through a telescope for the first time and saw the Ring Nebula. That was the inspiration she needed to decide to study astronomy. She was the highest achieving student in her high school. Beth then went to Howard University to study astrophysics.
Year born: 1969
Research Areas: Black Holes, Elliptical Galaxies, X-ray Emission, Data Archives
"Space fascinated me. I was into anything that had to do with space."
Beatrice Tinsley
Early Life
Beatrice was born in Chester, UK, but her family moved to New Zealand after World War II. Beatrice won a scholarship to study at Canterbury University where she got a degree in physics.
Year born: 1941
Research Areas: Galaxies' Evolution, Cosmology
"I never mind spending time [with students] if they really want to learn astronomy or exchange ideas."
Dorothy Vaughan
Year born: 1910
Research Areas: Computer Programming
"I changed what I could, and what I couldn't, I endured."
Valeri Polyakov
Early Life
Valeri was born in Tula, Russia (then the USSR). Valeri’s father died when he was very young. He was initially called Valeri Korshunov, but changed his last name when he was adopted by his step-father. After school, he went to a medical institute in Moscow. He graduated with a degree in medicine in 1965. Valeri was inspired by the first Russian doctor to travel into space, Boris Yegorov. He dedicated himself to astronautics medicine – looking at the effects of flight and space travel on the human body. Valeri was selected as a cosmonaut in 1972.
Year born: 1942
Research Areas: Medicine, Spaceflight
"We can fly to Mars."
Samantha Cristoforetti
Early Life
Samantha was born in Milan, Italy but grew up in a tiny village in the Alps. She is a fan of science fiction and dreamed of becoming an astronaut from a young age. When she was 18, she did an exchange programme spending a year in the USA and attending Space Camp. She studied Mechanical Engineering at a university in Munich, Germany. During this time, she also studied in France and Russia. Samantha was one of the first women to join the Italian Air Force as a fighter pilot.
Year born: 1977
Research Areas: Mechanical Engineering, Aviation, Aeronautics
"I think there is a sense of destiny in this whole idea of space exploration."
Hazza Al Mansouri
Early Life
Hazza was born in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He spent much of his childhood near the Liwa Desert where he would stargaze and dream about being a pilot. He graduated from Khalifa bin Zayed Air College in 2004 with a degree in aviation. He went on to join the UAE Armed Forces and became a military pilot. In 2018, he was one of two people selected to become the UAE’s first astronauts. Over 4000 people applied.
Year born: 1983
Research Areas: Aviation
"Working in space allows you to see people, from different backgrounds, working towards one common goal"
Mae Jemison
Early Life
Mae was born in Alabama but grew up in Chicago in the USA. Mae grew up watching the NASA Apollo missions, growing frustrated that there were no female astronauts. This led her to want to study science and go to space. At 16, she started university studying chemical engineering and African studies. She then went back to university to get a medical degree.
Year born: 1956
Research Areas: Chemical Engineering, Medicine
Silvia Torres-Peimbert
Early Life
Silvia grew up in Mexico City, Mexico. She was encouraged by her teachers to pursue science. Her science teacher made it clear that if there were no women studying science then the contribution of half of the world’s population would be wasted. She studied physics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and then got her PhD in astronomy from University of California, Berkeley. After university, Silvia returned to Mexico to work as a research scientist.
Year born: 1940
Research Areas: Nebulae & Star Birth
"We have only this planet and we have to take care of it. It’s our responsibility to diminish pollution and to stop wars"
Kevin Govender
Early Life
Kevin grew up on a sugar-cane farm in South Africa. His mother was a primary school teacher and his father was a mechanic. Kevin volunteered for his community as part of a youth club and set up a science club at school. He saw how important it was to give people control of their own learning and to follow their interests. Kevin studied physics at university. He did not do any stargazing when he was young. There was a superstition that counting stars would give you warts!
Year born: c. 1981
Research Areas: Nuclear Physics, Astronomy, Sustainable Development
"I see every day how people who are moved by our place in the universe are inspired to move others"