Rubin, Vera Cooper (1928–)

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Rubin, Vera Cooper (1928–)

American astronomer. Name variations: Vera Cooper; Vera C. Rubin. Born Vera Cooper, July 23, 1928, in Philadelphia, PA; dau. of Philip and Rose Cooper; Vassar College, BS, 1948; Cornell University, MA, 1951; Georgetown University, PhD, 1954; m. Robert Rubin (physicist), 1948; children: 4.

Studied astronomy at Vassar, the motion of galaxies at Cornell, and used mathematics to research the distribution of galaxies at Georgetown; presented motion of galaxies theories at an American Astronomical Society meeting where ideas were dismissed, only to be recognized later; was on the faculty at Georgetown University for 11 years; joined the Carnegie Institution of Washington for the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism; contributed research leading to the discovery of "dark matter" or invisible mass in the universe; elected to National Academy of Science, presented National Medal of Science (1993), was 1st woman awarded Gold Medal of London's Royal Astronomical Society (1996) since Caroline Herschel, and received Bruce medal (2003).