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Nancy Grace Roman, 'Mother Of Hubble' Space Telescope, Has Died, At Age 93 (npr.org)

Russell Lewis, writing for NPR: When Nancy Grace Roman was a child, her favorite object to draw was the moon. Her mother used to take her on walks under the nighttime sky and show her constellations, or point out the colorful swirls of the aurora. Roman loved to look up at the stars and imagine. Eventually, her passion for stargazing blossomed into a career as a renowned astronomer. Roman was one of the first female executives at NASA, where she served as the agency's first chief of astronomy. Known as the "Mother of Hubble," for her role in making the Hubble Space Telescope a reality, Roman worked at NASA for nearly two decades. She died on Dec. 25 at the age of 93.

Roman fought to earn her place in a field dominated by men, paving the path for future female scientists. She was born in Nashville, Tenn. in 1925 and organized an astronomy club in fifth grade. She attended high school in Baltimore, where she requested to take a second year of algebra instead of a fifth year of Latin. When she made the appeal, she recounted in a 2017 interview with NPR that the guidance counselor wasn't supportive of her dream to become a scientist.

Her efforts helped lead to the creation of the Hubble Space Telescope. In her role at NASA, Roman developed and planned the Hubble Space Telescope, which is famous for its stunning images of space. Because of the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists have been able to collect data and gain insight into even the most remote galaxies of the universe. The success of the project led to future space telescopes. Roman's work, however, reached far beyond just the Hubble Space Telescope. In an interview with NASA, Roman once stated that one of the highlights of her career was when she discovered the first indication that common stars were not all the same age.

65 comments

  1. So many stories like hers. by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Unfortunately there are so many stories like hers, where some one aspires to be more then what society says they can be. Makes me wonder, without all that extra luggage how much further could they have became.

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    1. Re: So many stories like hers. by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      There are other stories like her, from people who are of different skin color, nationality, even born into the wrong class or parentage. There are also people who as a child had been placed in the "Stupid Kid" classes, and basically placed in the fast track to meritocracy. We as a society are more interested in putting people in their place in society vs finding the best place for them to be in.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    2. Re: So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We as a society are more interested in putting people in their place in society vs finding the best place for them to be in.

      That's quite the ironic statement considering all these affirmative action campaigns that try to push women into tech even though most don't seem to want to go into those fields.

    3. Re:So many stories like hers. by twdorris · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Makes me wonder, without all that extra luggage how much further could they have became.

      I firmly believe that this "extra luggage" often contributes to the greatness that unfolds. For someone that has a true passion and interest, these hurdles often seem to me like motivating factors pushing that person to achieve more than they might have if those same achievements had just been "expected" of them.

      I think most would agree that you're more likely to pour your heart and soul into a achieving a goal if there's a little resistance along the way...someone else saying you can't do that or simply the fact that you're the first to do it...just *something* that can sweeten the pot a little or act as that little grain of irritating sand needed to make that really big, shiny pearl at the end.

    4. Re: So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That sounds like what the local football coach used to say. He was an asshole and eventually was fired. He used to act like he was doing the kids a favor by being an asshole but he did not fool any of the parents

    5. Re:So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are so many stories like hers, it makes me question if there was actually so much oppression.

    6. Re:So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know who else gets less recognition? Idiots who don't know the difference between there, their and they're.

    7. Re:So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No one is overlooking you, incel.

    8. Re: So many stories like hers. by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      Is it that they don't want to go into the fields, or society tells them they shouldn't go into that field.

      Back in college we had a small number of Women Computer Science Students. And they mentioned that their other women peers would actually put them down for choosing such a major.

      They were just as good as any of the other students, but the biggest problem is society told them what they should be doing.

      Also as of note, I work with a lot of older Computer Scientists, many of them over the age 55 seem to a larger percentage of woman. As computer science use to be considered Womans work back a few generations ago.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    9. Re: So many stories like hers. by twdorris · · Score: 1

      Yeah, totes. Sounds exactly the same.

    10. Re: So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let me guess, you were one of those in the "stupid kid" class. Har har. How's life, spazz mongo windowlicker? You're a regular Joey Deacon, aren't you? Har har stupid kid.

    11. Re: So many stories like hers. by cyber-vandal · · Score: 1

      One of the things that struck me in the BBC story about her was a woman careers advisor trying to put her off but being completely accepted by her male peers in her scientific role.

    12. Re: So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Society" has been trying to get them into IT for over a decade now. When I studied comp sci 10+ years ago there were already many programs aimed solely at girls and women. Those programs only rose in number over the years. We've had at least a generation of female graduates that heard nothing but "tech is for girls" now.

    13. Re:So many stories like hers. by alvinrod · · Score: 1

      I suspect that it doesn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. Keep in mind that the vast, vast majority of men didn't become NASA engineers, great scientists, or really anything of particular note either. I don't know to what extent adversity is a necessary component in forging greatness, but I think most people will admit that you don't get good at solving incredibly large problems without having to persevere against smaller ones along the way.

      We're also familiar with the idea of participation trophies and the notion of telling every kid their a winner. I think we can see that there's just as much downside if you swing the pendulum too far in the other direction. Maybe you get a few more brilliant scientists out of it, but I think you'll get a lot more disaffected youth and a load of narcissists being needlessly validated for half-rate efforts.

    14. Re:So many stories like hers. by HornWumpus · · Score: 0

      If it fits the narrative, it runs. Surly this isn't the first propaganda you've seen.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    15. Re: So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Down with the matriarchy!

    16. Re: So many stories like hers. by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      Is it that they don't want to go into the fields, or society tells them they shouldn't go into that field.

      Back in college we had a small number of Women Computer Science Students. And they mentioned that their other women peers would actually put them down for choosing such a major.

      They were just as good as any of the other students, but the biggest problem is society told them what they should be doing.

      Also as of note, I work with a lot of older Computer Scientists, many of them over the age 55 seem to a larger percentage of woman. As computer science use to be considered Womans work back a few generations ago.

      Of course a woman can be as good as any other student in CompSci. But you did hit the exact problem. The man holding women down is a female.

      The biggest resistance to women working in STEM comes from other women. The women scientists and engineers I worked with would confirm this. They took crap from the women in what were considered "proper" careers. The divide between the Staff Assistants and the professional women was huge. I always felt badly for the ladies affected by this.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    17. Re: So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Women are smart enough to avoid IT like the plague. It's a shitty career choice, with low pay, long hours and a toxic environment. Women like social occasions and most IT types are socially idiotic autistic geeks. There are no meaningful challenges, no personal growth. It's not IT that is hostile to women, it's that women are not that easily fooled into choosing a life of misery.

    18. Re: So many stories like hers. by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      One of the things that struck me in the BBC story about her was a woman careers advisor trying to put her off but being completely accepted by her male peers in her scientific role.

      That's exactly how it happens. I wrote above how the female scientists and engineers took shit from the staff ladies.

      My wife always had trouble with the females who worked for her. Jealousy, backstabbing, rumor mills. The men who worked for her loved her.

      I believe the term used is "Crab Potting"

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    19. Re:So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have to wonder if the post that began "The problem is that these stories always" is sincere or sarcastically making fun of people who believe there actually is a "war on men".
      The sad part is that the post could easily be either on Slashdot.

    20. Re:So many stories like hers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Found the libtard. Sometimes conspiracy is not fake and the war on men is REAL. Look outside and stop listening to MSNBC and new york times. Idiot.

  2. Good scientist, nice gal by opentunings · · Score: 4, Informative

    I had the pleasure of interning with Nancy Roman's staff back in the '70's. She was always good with her staff, always approachable, even for a peon like myself. RIP Nancy, it was a pleasure to work for you.

    1. Re: Good scientist, nice gal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Citation needed. Because I was on her staff as well. And I don't remember you.

    2. Re: Good scientist, nice gal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Citation needed.

  3. Seriously by Dunbal · · Score: 2

    There can't be that many Nancy Graces around, why does the Angel of Death keep taking the wrong one?

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:Seriously by alvinrod · · Score: 1

      There's an ongoing battle between heaven and hell over which is going to get stuck with her. I don't know how it will turn out, but I can tell you that hell has a far better legal team.

    2. Re:Seriously by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      Satan has a backlog of work orders and still needs to forge a steel muzzle for the other one.

    3. Re:Seriously by Ryanrule · · Score: 1

      Well maybe it’s not an angel.

    4. Re:Seriously by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The woman was 93. Nine-T-Three... She dodged death for far longer than most people have or will.

    5. Re: Seriously by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      She was 93.

    6. Re:Seriously by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      There can't be that many Nancy Graces around, why does the Angel of Death keep taking the wrong one?

      Mods - do your thing, and I do mean +5

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  4. Re: Thought the indochimp was only a Pentagon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Miss Mash got her panties in a wad again. Deletes every other post.

  5. Re:White imperialism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Shure she was female"

    No, pretty sure Shure make phono pickups and microphones.

  6. Re: Thought the hubble was only a Pentagon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I feel for this woman. Guidance counselors at high school are worthless.

  7. What a load of feminist bull shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

    She did not fight for anything. She did not pave the way for anyone. She did not give birth to the Hubble Telescope. She became an astronomer just like any other man in her field did and worked as an astronomer because she wanted to. I am sure that Disney will produce a fictional account of her life, portrayed by Jodie Foster, that only promotes more of this ridiculous, fictitious, feminist bullshit.

    1. Re: What a load of feminist bull shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Agreed. It is time for the normal people, people for equality and against manhate, to unite to oppose the feminazis who rule our media and education system.l and spread there hatred further and deeper every day.

      Fight sexism, fight feminazis.

    2. Re: What a load of feminist bull shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Erm, "their".
      Fuggit.

    3. Re:What a load of feminist bull shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course she did not pave the way for women. How many people even knew of this woman? However, many, many, many men did pave the way for her. I find it amazing that stories like this only seem to stimulate the ovaries of progressive, man bag carrying soy boys. For some strange, weird reason(s) men perpetuate this bullshit much more than women do and that is some accomplishment.

  8. Re:A wasted life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thank you brother Farrakhan.

  9. bean counters again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Another parroting 'first X' story by bean counters.

    Is it reported because she did significant work or just because of here demographic group? Or because the 'First X' story is easy to write.

    Surely there is a man or two which did equally significant things in the same time period at Nasa which will be ignored.

    There's X amount of newsprint to fill each day, does this story edge out and block out other more newsworthy stories? Or stories of historical worth?

    My family's skipped the last X years of 'First X' stories in movies as most are orders of magnitude less important and less history worthy than ones told 50 years ago.

    Still waiting on the story of male X, the first to hold leadership position in NOW.

  10. Re:Thought the hubble was only a Pentagon by whitroth · · Score: 0

    You're an ignorant idiot.

    I'm guessing you've never worked for long in the real world.
    1. I work with feds. out of dozens, one doesn't know what he's doing.
    2. Hubble was, from day 1, a NASA project. Civilian space. Basic scientific research.

    I don't know why you even post.

  11. Once again a persons career is reduced... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    to a story about their genitalia.

    1. Re:Once again a persons career is reduced... by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

      Well that and you know a giant fucking space telescope.

      Who modded this shit up?

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    2. Re:Once again a persons career is reduced... by ahto · · Score: 1

      No matter how wild a claim about "SJW" or liberals, any demand for evidence will be met with downmods.

      I don't consider myself any kind of warrior, but how's that for evidence: http://www.stsci.edu/news/news...?

    3. Re:Once again a persons career is reduced... by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

      I don't consider myself any kind of warrior, but how's that for evidence: http://www.stsci.edu/news/news...?

      I don't follow. Evidence of what? My contention here is that it's more or less reached the point where some AC will post "liberals ate my baby" and be modded +5 informative and the inevitable "sounds like bullshit, got a link" post will get -1 troll.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    4. Re:Once again a persons career is reduced... by ahto · · Score: 1

      The evidence that this time reference to a gender in relation to her achievements is relevant. When the project application reviews for Hubble switched to double-blind (where the reviewers only see the content of the proposed research, but not the identities of the proposers), the success rate of female-led applications went from being roughly half of that of male-led applications to being roughly the same (actually a bit more).

  12. because latin is SO much more useful than math by v1 · · Score: 2

    she requested to take a second year of algebra instead of a fifth year of Latin. When she made the appeal, she recounted in a 2017 interview with NPR that the guidance counselor wasn't supportive of her dream to become a scientist.

    I don't understand what teachers or councilors like that are thinking. School is to prepare you for adulthood, help you find your direction in life, and give you skills that will get you employment when you graduate. What on earth is FIVE years of latin going to get you? Sure there's a few niche jobs that it'd be useful in - clergy, archeology, maybe museum... but MATH, that will open hundreds of doors for you.

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
    1. Re:because latin is SO much more useful than math by opentunings · · Score: 1

      Don't forget that she was probably in high school in the late 1930's / early 1940's (bio says she was 93 years old). Thanks to people like her, twisting counselors' arms in the 1930's, the question is not "I don't understand what teachers or councilors like that *are* thinking". The question is "what teachers or councilors like that *were* thinking". Remember, having women working in auto and airplane production was a huge cultural leap. Women in science? Practically undheard of.

      I haven't had business with a high school in a long time. I'd like to think that the counselors now are much more aware of the fact that men are not the only ones possessing brains capable of STEM work.

    2. Re:because latin is SO much more useful than math by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Latin was supposed to teach you to follow logical rule systems.

      Because an exception filled illogical ('Sailor' is neuter, lost his balls in the war) grammatical system is logical by the standards of the humanities.

      It wasn't that long ago that 4 years of latin and 2 of classical greek were required for college admission. It was a weedout, keep out the riff raff whose HS didn't teach the subjects.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    3. Re:because latin is SO much more useful than math by Nivag064 · · Score: 1

      she requested to take a second year of algebra instead of a fifth year of Latin. When she made the appeal, she recounted in a 2017 interview with NPR that the guidance counselor wasn't supportive of her dream to become a scientist.

      I don't understand what teachers or councilors like that are thinking

      [...]

      but, But, BUT, she was a only a girl!!! :-)

    4. Re: because latin is SO much more useful than math by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wrong. School is meant to make you into a part of a community. It is meant to instill the basic values that you must live by - conformity, obedience, orthodoxy - so that the community can make the best use of your existence.

    5. Re:because latin is SO much more useful than math by v1 · · Score: 1

      Don't forget that she was probably in high school in the late 1930's / early 1940's (bio says she was 93 years old).

      It held on a lot longer than that. My mother was born in 1953, and SHE also for some reason decided to get on board the Latin Train. (yes, again with FIVE years of it...) On the plus side, you can ask her what pretty much any word means and she can get you started in the general direction by ripping it apart, regardless of how many syllables it has. (actually, the more, the better)

      So for her anyway, five years of latin means she doesn't need to keep a dictionary around the house. Nice I suppose, but not that good of a trade for all the time sunk in what could have been math or something else more universally useful as a life-skill.

      --
      I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
  13. Re:Thought the hubble was only a Pentagon by HornWumpus · · Score: 2

    Damn you're gullible. Even after they admit a story was bullshit, you repeat it.

    Hubble is a re-tuned keyhole, turned upward. They've flown 7 or 8 'Hubbles' pointing down, the last new one flew last fucking week.

    I don't know what population for feds you work with. Has not been my experience. They're competent at 'working' the federal system, can't be fired.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  14. Re: White imperialism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Around us it's a grocery store. Shureshine.

  15. Re:Thought the hubble was only a Pentagon by habig · · Score: 0

    Hubble is a re-tuned keyhole, turned upward. They've flown 7 or 8 'Hubbles' pointing down, the last new one flew last fucking week

    .

    While surely Hubble design drew heavily on R&D from DoD recon birds, the Hubble design would make for a really lousy spy satellite, and vice-versa: "re-tuned" is a pretty strong statement.

    "Shared some components, for a completely different set of requirements" is a better statement. If nothing else, going so far over budget and off-schedule would have been super-hard if NASA was just buying a COTS Hubble from DoD.

    some context here, to fully illustrate my "gullibility" - I've built a prototype air cherenkov array from surplus DoD mirrors. "Some Parts" is a very, very long way from "Scientific Instrument".

  16. I Feel Kinda Bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've never heard of Nancy Roman, nor Lawrence Roberts, who also recently passed away.

    https://news.slashdot.org/story/18/12/30/2235223/lawrence-roberts-who-helped-design-internets-precursor-dies-at-81

    I certainly hope this was because they were introverts, or otherwise not seeking fame. It would be a shame if they were exceptionally accomplished people who never received their due.

  17. fake news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the hubble space telescope was developed and build by a bunch of white dudes. just like almost everything else in the world.

  18. Re:Thought the hubble was only a Pentagon by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

    They share an aperture and a spectrum. Likely a basic layout, possibly a mirror.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'