Author
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Topic: Neil Gehrels, Swift investigator (1952-2017)
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-08-2017 07:41 AM
Neil Gehrels, the the chief of the Astroparticle Physics Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the principal investigator for the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission, died on Monday (Feb. 6). He was 64.The following is a statement from Goddard Center Director Chris Scolese on Gehrels' death. Our center has lost a dear friend and astronomy pioneer, and his spirit will always live on in our work. Those of us who were fortunate to work with Neil know of his unwavering enthusiasm for science and unselfish generosity in mentoring others.Neil arrived at Goddard after earning his doctorate from the California Institute of Technology in 1982, focusing on the field that has defined his career: gamma-ray astronomy. For more than three decades, Neil established himself as a global figure in the study of gamma-ray bursts and the larger gamma-ray universe. From 1995 up until his death, Neil served as the chief of the Goddard Astroparticle Physics Laboratory. He worked as a project scientist and investigator for several notable missions, including the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, the Swift gamma-ray burst Medium Explorer, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope and the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory. His accolades are many, and his worked has been published hundreds of times over in science journals and popular science magazines. Neil is the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and Goddard’s John C. Lindsay Memorial Award. He has been recognized by the American Astronomical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Academy of Sciences and other renowned scientific organizations. More recently in 2016, he was elected an honorary fellow to the Royal Astronomical Society in London, and he was a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration which made the groundbreaking discovery of gravitational waves last February. A few months later, CalTech recognized Neil as one of its most distinguished alumni. Throughout his success, Neil always found time to share his achievements with others. Following in the footsteps of his father, an astronomer who helped dissident scientists during the Cold War, Neil and his family were active volunteers in disadvantaged communities around Goddard. In 2005, he helped develop an internship program that allowed local high school students with hardships to work in his labs. Neil leaves behind a legacy only he could have created, and words cannot adequately express our grief for this great loss. |
randy Member Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 02-08-2017 07:47 AM
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rgarner Member Posts: 1193 From: Shepperton, United Kingdom Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 02-08-2017 07:57 AM
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Gilbert Member Posts: 1328 From: Carrollton, GA USA Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 02-08-2017 08:51 AM
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jasonelam Member Posts: 691 From: Monticello, KY USA Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 02-08-2017 10:05 AM
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fredtrav Member Posts: 1673 From: Birmingham AL Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 02-08-2017 11:10 AM
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Kite Member Posts: 831 From: Northampton UK Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 02-08-2017 11:11 AM
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GACspaceguy Member Posts: 2476 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 02-08-2017 12:37 PM
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star51L Member Posts: 340 From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 02-08-2017 04:21 PM
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capoetc Member Posts: 2169 From: McKinney TX (USA) Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 02-08-2017 07:05 PM
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Panther494 Member Posts: 402 From: London UK Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 02-08-2017 07:14 PM
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dss65 Member Posts: 1156 From: Sandpoint, ID, USA Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 02-08-2017 08:10 PM
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Wehaveliftoff Member Posts: 2343 From: Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 02-09-2017 04:33 AM
Even though I was more in contact with his father, Tom, I do remember Neil on occasions at the U of A. My deepest condolences to the Gehrels family. |
cspg Member Posts: 6210 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
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posted 02-09-2017 05:49 AM
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Lunar rock nut Member Posts: 911 From: Oklahoma city, Oklahoma U.S.A. Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-09-2017 06:05 AM
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David Carey Member Posts: 782 From: Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 02-09-2017 01:25 PM
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Philip Member Posts: 5952 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 02-27-2017 01:11 AM
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star51L Member Posts: 340 From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 02-27-2017 05:00 PM
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