On 22-December-2021, several world space agencies, including NASA and ESA, will launch the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) from French Guiana.
The JWST is a major mission that will allow astronomers to study exoplanets, the early Universe, and the formation and evolution of stars. It will be the first telescope that will allow us to observe the very first stars that ever formed and better understand the formation of galaxies. Although it is often referred to as the successor of the Hubble Space Telescope, it will be a very different beast, optimized to detect infrared light with unprecedented sensitivity.
Dr. Anne Pellerin, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at SUNY Geneseo, served on the time allocation committee (TAC) for the very first operation cycle of JWST mission, which means that she is part of the team of experts that decides where to point the telescope. During the winter of 2021, Dr. Pellerin reviewed dozens of research proposals written by scientists and astronomers from around the world. She and the other TAC panelists made recommendations to NASA and ESA about which proposals were most deserving of precious time on this state-of-the-art telescope.
"The JWST opens the door to the next generation of world-class telescopes and will profoundly enhance our understanding of the Universe", says Dr. Pellerin. "It was very exciting to read all of the highly advanced proposals and it was a privilege to be part of the team that decides on their scientific merits". Dr. Pellerin also serves as part of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra Space Telescope time allocation committees.
Dr. Pellerin routinely involves undergraduate students in her research projects, giving them valuable experience and laying the foundation for further work in graduate school. "I really like working with our gifted and dedicated Geneseo students, and having a connection to the most sophisticated scientific telescopes ever built is mind-blowing," says Dr. Pellerin. "I will be watching closely on December 22, when the JWST launches and I will be keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly!"