Women in Astronomy: Beth A. Brown

Beth A. Brown was a NASA Astrophysicist and the first African American women to earn a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Michigan in 1998. 

Beth Brown, NASA Goddard Visitor Center 

Dr. Beth Brown was born in Roanoke, Virginia where she grew up with her parents, younger brother, and her older cousin. She graduated as valedictorian from William Fleming High School in 1987 and she has often credited her pursuit of astronomy to a field trip where she saw the Nebula Ring at an observatory.  

After graduating high school, Dr. Brown went on to study astrophysics at Howard University in Washington D.C. In her time at Howard, she completed two internships at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center where she would eventually end up working. She then went on to become the first black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Michigan. During her time at Michigan she began studying X-ray observations of elliptical galaxies and black holes.

 

Dr. Beth A Brown, NASA Astrophysicist

Her work continued after the University of Michigan as she returned to Goddard to become a research associate on NASA's National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. With this research position, Dr. Brown was able to complete her research on X-Ray observations of elliptical galaxies and black holes which she is best known for. Coinciding which her research, Dr. Beth Brown also spent a lot of time on educational outreach. She was a firm believer in getting more accessible astronomy information to the public along with striving to elevate young women of color interests in science. 

Sadly, Dr. Beth Brown passed away unexpectedly at the age of 39 from a pulmonary embolism in 2008. She is remembered as one of the pioneering scientists in astrophysics at the agency and she has inspired many students to continue in STEM. 

Sources: 

-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beth_A._Brown 

-https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/beth-a-brown-1969-2008/

-https://www.thoughtco.com/beth-brown-3072228