Beth Anne Brown
Personal Information
Born: 1969
Died: 2008
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: Black
Education
Howard University BS Astrophysics 1991; University of Michigan MS 1994 & PhD 1998 both in Astronomy
Professional Life
Field of Study: Astrophysics
Institution/Corporation: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; Howard University
Degrees & Memberships: Member: National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP); National conference of Black Physicist Students (NCBPS); Tau Beta Sigma (1990)
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 2006 NASA Administrator's Fellowship; 2015 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History Honoree, Library of Virginia & Dominion
Achievements: NASA astrophysicist who studied black holes & elliptical galaxies; specialized in looking at x-ray emission from elliptical galaxies; made sure data coming back from NASA telescopes was archived & made available to the public
1st African-American female recipient of a PhD in Astronomy from University of Michigan
as a graduate student at University of Michigan developed a popular course called Naked Eye Astronomy which is still taught
grew up watching Star Trek & Star Wars which motivated her to want to be an astronaut
decided to study astronomy after a classfield trip to an observatory where she observed the Ring Nebula
grew up in roanoke VA
played piccolo in the Howard University marching band
as an undergraduate participated in 2 internships at NASA
her near-sightedness & dislike of cramped places precluded her from persuing her desire to be an astronaut
represented NASA in TV interviews, developed a website for the public on Multiwavelength Milky Way & participated in the NASA Administrator's Fellowship Project (NAFP)
The American Astronomical society has an award in her honor
she is feature in the book "Women of Goddard: Careers in Science, Technology, engineering & Mathematics"
after her sudden death from a pulmonary embulism her mother established the Dr. Beth A. Brown Science Foundation to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors who pursue degrees in astronomy or physics
2012 her alma mater, William Fleming High School, named its science & pre-engineering hall in her honor
loved to sing & read