Neil Gehrels

Biography

Abstract

Neil Gehrels was Chief, Astroparticle Physics Laboratory at the Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (1981-present). Other institutional affiliations included the University of Maryland and Pennsylvania State University. His research interests included gamma-rays and supernovae.

Important Dates

October 3, 1952Birth, Lake Geneva (Wis.).

1976Obtained BS in Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson (Ariz.).

1976Obtained BM in Music, University of Arizona, Tucson (Ariz.).

1981 – presentResearch Associate (1981-1983); Astrophysicist (1983-1995); Chief, Astroparticle Physics Laboratory (1995-present); Project Scientist, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) (1991-2000); Member, High Energy Astrophysics Management Operations Working Group (1991-1994); Member, Structure and Evolution of the Universe Subcommittee (1995-2001); Co-Chair, Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group (1995-present); Co-Chair, Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group (2005-present); Chair, Commission E, Committee on Space Research (2006–2008); Mission Scientist, International Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) (1995-present); Principal Investigator, Swift MIDEX Mission (1998-present); Deputy Project Scientist, Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope (GLAST) (2000-present); and Project Scientist, Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM) (2008-present), Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Greenbelt (Md.).

1982Obtained PhD in Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (Calif.).

1993Fellow, American Physical Society.

1996 – 1997Chair, High Energy Astrophysics Division, American Astronomical Society.

2005Member, Program Advisory Committee, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

2007 – 2008Chair, Division of Astrophysics, American Physical Society.

2008Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

2010Member, National Academy of Sciences.

February 6, 2017Death.

Occupation

Astrophysicist.

Places

Birth

Lake Geneva (Wis.)

Undergraduate Education

Tucson (Ariz.)

Graduate Education

Tucson (Ariz.)

Pasadena (Calif.)

Employment

Greenbelt (Md.)

Subjects

Astrophysics.

Gamma rays.

Supernovae.

Relationships

People

Family

Gehrels, Emily

Daughter.

Gehrels, Tommy

Son.

Williams, Ellen D.

Wife.

Advisors & Collaborators

Stone, Edward, 1936-

PhD advisor at California Institute of Technology on the discovery of accelerated oxygen and sulfur ions in the Jovian magnetosphere originating in the volcanoes of Io.

Vogt, Rochus, E.,

PhD advisor at California Institute of Technology on the discovery of accelerated oxygen and sulfur ions in the Jovian magnetosphere originating in the volcanoes of Io.

Colleagues

Beggs, James Montgomery

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Bennett, Charles L. (Charles Leonard), 1956-

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Fletcher, James Chipman, 1919-1991

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Frosch, Robert A. (Robert Alan), 1928-

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Jones, Robert T. (Robert Thomas), 1910-1999

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Kaspi, Victoria Michelle, 1967-

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Mather, John C.

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Raney, William P.

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Additional

Simpson, Joanne

Both employed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Institutions

Major Positions

Goddard Space Flight Center

Research Associate; Astrophysicist; Chief, Astroparticle Physics Laboratory; Project Scientist, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO); Member, High Energy Astrophysics Management Operations Working Group; Member, Structure and Evolution of the Universe Subcommittee; Co-Chair, Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group; Co-Chair, Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group; Chair, Commission E, Committee on Space Research; Mission Scientist, International Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL); Principal Investigator, Swift MIDEX Mission; Deputy Project Scientist, Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope (GLAST); and Project Scientist, Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM), National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Research Associate, Goddard Space Flight Center; Astrophysicist, Goddard Space Flight Center; Chief, Astroparticle Physics Laboratory, Goddard Space Flight Center; Project Scientist, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO); Member, High Energy Astrophysics Management Operations Working Group; Member, Structure and Evolution of the Universe Subcommittee; Co-Chair, Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group; Co-Chair, Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group; Chair, Commission E, Committee on Space Research; Mission Scientist, International Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL); Principal Investigator, Swift MIDEX Mission; Deputy Project Scientist, Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope (GLAST); and Project Scientist, Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM).

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Fellow.

American Astronomical Society

Chair, High Energy Astrophysics Division.

American Physical Society

Chair, Division of Astrophysics and Fellow.

California Institute of Technology. Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy

Obtained PhD in Physics (1982).

Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory

Member, Program, Advisory Committee.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

University of Arizona. Department of Physics

Obtained BM and BS.

Resources

Published Resources

Author

Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory : St. Louis, MO 1992 / editors, Michael Friedlander, Neil Gehrels, Daryl J. Macomb.

Gamma 2001 : gamma-ray astrophyics 2001, Baltimore 4-6 April, 2001 / editors ; Steven Ritz, Neil Gehrels, Chris R. Shrader.

Gamma ray bursts 2010 Annapolis, MD, USA ; 1-4 November 2010 / editors: J.E. McEnery, J.L. Racusin, N. Gehrels.

Gamma-ray bursts : 6th Huntsville Symposium : Huntsville, Alabama, 20-23 October 2008 / editors, Charles Meegan, Neil Gehrels, Chryssa Kouveliotou ; sponsoring organizations, Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor ... [et al.].

Gamma-ray bursts in the Swift era sixteenth Maryland Astrophysics Conference, Washington, DC, 29 November-2 December 2005 / editors, Stephen S. Holt, Neil Gehrels, John A. Nousek ; sponsoring organizations, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Maryland, General Dynamics.

Nuclear spectroscopy of astrophysical sources : Washington, D.C., 1987 / editors, Neil Gehrels, Gerald H. Share.

The Second Compton Symposium, College Park, MD, 1993 / editors, Carl E. Fichtel, Neil Gehrels, Jay P. Norris.

Subject

Cornelis A. "Neil" Gehrels Physics Today obituary