Joan Feynman
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.031188
Today is the birthday of astrophysicist Joan Feynman, born in 1927 in Queens, New York. She spent much of her childhood solving math problems and fiddling with electronics with her older brother, Richard Feynman. She received a PhD in theoretical solid state physics from Syracuse University in 1958. During her career Feynman made several important discoveries regarding the interactions of solar particles with spacecraft and Earth’s magnetic field, including insights into the formation of auroras. In 1974 she became the first woman elected as an officer of the American Geophysical Union. Toward the end of her career Feynman researched the influence of solar activity on climate. She received NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal in 2002.
Date in History: 31 March 1927
