Vera Rubin Memorial Reception Women in Astronomy IV

Vera Rubin was an inspiration to me starting when I met her as a teenager, and she continued to inspire my students through frequent visits to Vassar. Her pioneering work in galaxy research along with her leadership for women in astronomy are important legacies for us all. -- Debra Elmegreen

Vera with her children Karl, Dave, Allan, and Judy at Bear Lake, Rocky Mt. National Park in Colorado, 1961.

Vera was an inspiration to so many of us. She was not only a great scientist but also someone who mentored and supported younger scientists. She will live on through her scientific contributions and the many lives that she touched. -- David Spergel

Vera discovered something amazing and disturbing, and more of us should have believed her sooner, astronomy would have been much more interesting. But she wasn't pushy or self promoting. It's great that we are honoring her this way. -- John Mather

Vera Rubin in 1965 at Lowell Observatory.

Vera observed regularly with the Mayall 4 -m at Kitt Peak, most often with the RC spectrograph… Vera was one of the best observers I ever worked with at the 4 m. She came fully prepared (she even read the manual!), and usually challenged (very graciously, of course) my own understanding of the instrument with her perceptive questions. I learned so much from her, both about astronomy and about being an astronomer. -- Caty Pilachowski

John Baldwin, Jan Oort, Bob, and Vera, in Faulhorn, Switzerland, 1969.

I met Vera at my first AAS meeting in 1972, and over time she became a treasured friend. We served on committees together, and she could be counted on to call out any nonsense. We discussed the demographics of the field, and she put considerable effort into enhancing the careers of women in astronomy. She was a great example for all of us. -- Lee Anne Willson

Vera on top of the dome of 200 -inch Palomar telescope, with K. Rudnicki, in December 1965. The first time a woman legally used the Palomar telescopes.

I had the pleasure of meeting Vera in 2010 at the NOAO 50 th Anniversary Symposium, for which Vera was an invited speaker and I was the Chair of the LOC. Her historical perspective on Kitt Peak was a high point of the meeting. -- Knut Olsen

Vera was a trailblazer who made the path easier for me and for many others. She demonstrated that a woman who was as cheerful, warm, generous, and down-to-earth as she was could be a successful astronomer. We lost an unparalleled friend, mentor, and colleague with her passing, but Vera continues on, not only in our hearts, but also in the influence on our lives. -- Deidre Hunter

Vera inducted into the National Academy of Sciences, 1982.

Among Vera's many, many lasting (often unrecognized) institutional contributions was her work with Bob Williams and me to set up the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. -- David Helfand

Vera with grandchildren Laura Young, Ramona and Zan Rubin. Chamonix, France, 1986.

Vera got the Gruber Prize the same year Bob got his diagnosis. She was an admirable citizen of science, mentor of women in science, and became a friend. Her cheer, humor and courage also are a part of the legendary woman scientist! -- Patricia Gruber

Anne Kinney, Vera and Nancy Roman at Women in Astronomy III, 2009

Paula Zahn awarding Vera the Weizmann Women and Science Award, 1996.

Vera's scientific stature was matched only by her personal warmth to everyone she met, no matter what their station in life. I will always treasure a visit to her and Diedre at the Mayall, 4 m and her insistence that we have a picture taken of all three of us! -- Katy Garmany

Vera with Pope John Paul in 1986.

I had the good fortune of being able to assist Vera with her spectroscopic observations on Kitt Peak a few times. She was always warm and cheerful and trusted our advice. When she obtained good data her favorite response was "It was grand!". She is missed by all who knew her. --Daryl Willmarth

Vera and Alycia Weinberger at American Physical Society presentation of an historical plaque to DTM in honor of the site where Vera and Kent Ford used the image tube to study the rotation curves of galaxies, 2013.

In fighting for gender equality in science Vera matched resoluteness with dignity. One couldn't hope for a better combination, and it was reinforced by her outstanding scientific achievements… Her personal imprint remains with us, as does her science. Very special to have been able to call her a dear friend a colleague. -- Bob & Elaine Williams

CONSIDER A DONATION TO THE VERA RUBIN POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP AT CARNEGIE SCIENCE https: //carnegiescience. edu/projects/vera-rubin-fellowship