Steward Observatory alum Jane Rigby receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

May 7, 2024
Rigby

Dr. Jane Rigby, who graduated with her PhD in Astronomy from the University of Arizona in 2006, received the highest civilian award of the United States in recognition of her JWST work and her advocacy for diversity and inclusion in science.

Photo: Britt Griswold and Jay Friedlander, NASA

Dr. Jane Rigby, who received her PhD in Astronomy from the University of Arizona in 2006, has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden. This is the highest civilian award of the United States, and it honors Rigby’s role in the success of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mission and her longtime support of diversity and inclusion in science.

Rigby and her team at Goddard Space Flight Center played a major role in the smooth transfer of JWST from commissioning to routine science. Rigby worked on the development of JWST for many years and subsequently led the characterization of JWST's science performance — which now is exceeding expectations and continues to provide pioneering discoveries about the structure and evolution of the cosmos. 

Rigby’s research with JWST includes the use of gravitational lensing to study the properties of galaxies in the early Universe. This work was initiated in her PhD studies at Steward Observatory and has continued through her leadership of the JWST project TEMPLATES (Targeting Extremely Magnified Panchromatic Lensed Arcs and Their Extended Star Formation). TEMPLATES uses high signal-to-noise JWST NIRSpec and MIRI integral field spectroscopy to provide high-resolution spectral images of four lensed galaxies, from which it will be possible to construct detailed images of the targets well beyond the resolution achievable without using lensing.

“It is wonderful when a former student does so well and has already had a big impact on the field,” said Rigby’s PdD advisor, Regents' Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences George Rieke. “Jane moved into her position with JWST and immediately stole the show with her great competence in handling all the challenges the mission threw at her.”

In addition to her Medal of Freedom, Rigby has also been recognized through the NASA Robert H. Goddard Award for Exceptional Achievement for Science, Nature's 10 Ones to Watch in 2022, BBC’s 100 women, and other awards. She was also the scientist who presented and explained the first JWST results to President Biden. 

“Webb has become a symbol not only of technical excellence and scientific discovery, but also of how much humanity can accomplish when we all work together,” Rigby said. “I’m so proud and grateful to lead the amazing Webb team.”