Burnell, Jocelyn Bell (1943–)
Burnell, Jocelyn Bell (1943–)
Irish astronomer. Name variations: S.J. Bell; S. Jocelyn Bell Burnell; Jocelyn Bell-Burnell. Born Susan Jocelyn Bell, July 15, 1943, in Belfast, Northern Ireland; dau. of George Philip and Margaret Allison (Kennedy) Bell (both Quakers); Glasgow University, BSc, 1965; Cambridge University, PhD, 1968; m. Martin Burnell 1968 (div., 1989); children: Gavin.
Discovered the 1st of 4 pulsars during her PhD research in radio astronomy (1968), a discovery that would net a Nobel Prize for her thesis advisor (famed astronomer Fred Hoyle and others openly questioned the failure of the Nobel Committee to include Burnell in the award); upon graduation, switched to X-ray astronomy; was research fellow at University of Southampton (1968–73); served as research assistant, Mullard Space Science Lab, University College, London (1974–82); served as senior research fellow (1982–86), senior science officer (1986–89), Grade 7 (1989–91), Royal Observatory, Edinburgh; published Broken for Life (1989); began serving as professor of physics, Open University, Milton Keynes (1991). Received copious awards, including several honorary doctorates, the Michelson Medal (1973), the 1st Beatrice Tinsley award of the American Astronomical Society (1987) and the Herschel Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1989).
See also Women in World History.