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Biographical Sketch
Prof. Pipher received her B.Sc. from the University of Toronto (1962) and her Ph.D. from Cornell University (1971). She joined the University as Instructor in 1971, and was appointed Assistant Professor of Astronomy in 1972 and Associate Professor in 1977. She was appointed Professor of Astronomy in 1983, where she still serves. She was the Director of the C.E.K. Mees Observatory from 1979 to 1994. She received the Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester (2001), and the Susan B. Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award or Contribution to Teaching an Research (2002). She has been Scientific Editor of the Astrophysical Journal since 2002.
Research
Prof. Pipher's primary research is in the area of infrared astronomy and infrared detector array development. She, in collaboration with Prof. William J. Forrest, developed over 20 years time ultra-sensitive InSb arrays for the Spitzer Space Telescope infrared array camera, launched in August 2003. More recently, they have developed HgCdTe 10 micron cutoff arrays for use in future space experiments. The group recently was successful in obtaining a NYSTAR grant from the state with ITT and RIT to help ITT for expand their MASCS - modular advanced space-borne camera systems - capability. By the end of the contract, ITT should be extremely competitive in their offerings of infrared MASCS with MEMS spectroscopic capability.
Now that Spitzer is launched, Profs. Pipher, Forrest and Watson are engaged in comprehensive scientific programs concerning early pre-stellar evolution, the inital condfigurations of young stellar clusters, and a census of all pre-stellar members of a young cluster.
For more information, go to: http://astro.pas.rochester.edu
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