Wiseman Jennifer J

Jennifer J. Wiseman is a prominent American astrophysicist, currently serving as the Senior Project Scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. She is recognized for her studies on stellar formation and her involvement in the dialogue between science and faith.

Born in Mountain Home, Arkansas, Wiseman earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from MIT, where she discovered the periodic comet 114P/Wiseman-Skiff in 1987. She then received her PhD in astronomy from Harvard in 1995. After roles as a Jansky Fellow at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and a Hubble Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, she joined NASA in 2003, where she held significant positions, including directing the Laboratory for Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics.

Wiseman’s research focuses on the study of stellar formation regions in our galaxy, utilizing radio, optical, and infrared telescopes. She is particularly interested in molecular cloud cores, protostars, and the associated flows of matter. She has led major research efforts, such as mapping a stellar formation region in the Orion constellation.

In addition to her research, Wiseman is active in science communication and the dialogue between science and ethics. She served as a Congressional Science Fellow for the American Physical Society and directed the “Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion” program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science from 2010 to 2022. She is a member of the BioLogos board and a Fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation.