Lucianne Walkowicz

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Lucianne Walkowicz

| image = Lucianne Walkowicz (cropped).png

| image_size =

| caption = Lucianne Walkowicz in 2017

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1979}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

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| field = Astronomy, performing arts, activism

| work_institution = UC Berkeley
Princeton University
Adler Planetarium

| alma_mater = Johns Hopkins University
University of Washington

| doctoral_advisor = Suzanne L. Hawley

| thesis_title = Self-Consistent Quiescent Model Atmospheres for M Dwarfs

| thesis_year = 2008

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| awards = {{Plainlist|

National Academy of Sciences Kavli Fellow (2011)
TED Senior Fellow (2012)

}}

| spouse = Frank Okay

}}

Lucianne Walkowicz ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɔː|k|ə|w|ɪ|tʃ}} {{Respell|WAW|kə|witch}};{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLCeYDzBK3k|title=Big questions about the universe with Lucianne Walkowicz|website=YouTube|date=October 16, 2019 |accessdate=19 August 2020}} born 1979) is an American astronomer, artist, and activist. They (singular) were based at the Adler Planetarium until 2022 and are noted for their research contributions in stellar magnetic activity and its impact on planetary suitability for extraterrestrial life.{{cite news|last1=Burke|first1=Cassie Walker|title=Meet Lucianne Walkowicz, an astronomer who's on the hunt for extraterrestrial life|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150715/NEWS08/150719924/meet-lucianne-walkowicz-an-astronomer-whos-on-the-hunt-for-extraterrestrial-life|accessdate=25 June 2017|work=Crain's Chicago Business|date=15 July 2015}}

Career

Since 2008, Walkowicz has been the chair of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) Transients and Variable Stars collaboration and is the founding director of the LSST Data Science Fellowship program.{{cite magazine|last1=Scoles|first1=Sarah|title=Astronomers Don't Point This Telescope—The Telescope Points Them|url=https://www.wired.com/2017/03/astronomers-dont-point-telescope-telescope-points/|accessdate=25 June 2017|magazine=Wired|date=23 March 2017}}{{cite web|title=Lucianne Walkowicz|url=http://www.frontiersconference.org/speakers/lucianne-walkowicz|website=The White House Frontiers Conference|accessdate=25 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018123003/http://www.frontiersconference.org/speakers/lucianne-walkowicz|archive-date=18 October 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last1=Kahn|first1=Steven M.|title=The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope|url=https://www.gemini.edu/fsg15/pdf/kahn-steven.pdf|website=Future and Science of the Gemini Observatory Meeting|accessdate=25 June 2017}} They are internationally recognized for their advocacy for conservation of dark night skies, and were named a 2011 National Academy of Sciences Kavli Fellow and a 2012 TED Senior Fellow.{{cite web|title=Lucianne Walkowicz|url=https://www.ted.com/profiles/935268|website=TED|accessdate=25 June 2017|language=en}}

In 2017, Walkowicz was named the fifth Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/NASA-astrobiology.html|title=Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology {{!}} The John W. Kluge Center - Library of Congress|website=www.loc.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-06-02}} They began their tenure October 1, 2017, working on a project titled “Fear of a Green Planet: Inclusive Systems of Thought for Human Exploration of Mars.”{{Cite web|url=https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/fifth-baruch-s-blumberglibrary-of-congress-chair-in-astrobiology-announced/|title=NASA Astrobiology|website=astrobiology.nasa.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-06-02}} Their project aims to create an inclusive framework for human exploration of Mars, encompassing both cutting-edge research on Mars as a place of essential astrobiological significance, while weaving in lessons from the diverse histories of exploration on Earth.

Walkowicz holds a BS in physics and astronomy from Johns Hopkins University, and an MS and PhD in astronomy from the University of Washington. As an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins, they got their taste for astronomy while testing detectors for the Hubble Space Telescope’s new camera.{{Cite web|url=http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2015/week50/Wednesday/15121609.htm#anchor|title=Daily Exchange - Posting|website=www.exchangemagazine.com|access-date=2018-06-02}}

On October 12, 2021, Walkowicz resigned{{cite web | last=Walkowicz | first=Lucianne | title=Why I'm Resigning from Advising NASA | url=https://www.patreon.com/posts/why-im-resigning-57248140 | accessdate=12 October 2021}} their position on NASA's Astrophysics Advisory Committee over the Agency's terse response to concerns on the naming of the James Webb Space Telescope.{{cite journal |last=Witze |first=Alexandra |title=NASA won't rename James Webb telescope — and astronomers are angry - The agency found no evidence that the flagship observatory's namesake was involved in anti-LGBT+ activities, but some say that Webb bears responsibility. |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02678-1 |date=1 October 2021 |journal=Nature |volume=598 |issue=7880 |page=249 |doi=10.1038/d41586-021-02678-1 |pmid=34599318 |s2cid=238251014 |accessdate=2 October 2021 }}

Walkowicz is co-founder of the JustSpace Alliance with Erika Nesvold{{cite web|title=Lucianne Walkowicz and Erika Nesvold|url=https://www.lidji.org/justspace-alliance/|website=LIDJI|accessdate=28 September 2022}} to "advocate for a more inclusive and ethical future in space, and to harness visions of tomorrow for a more just and equitable world today".{{cite web|title=JustSpace Alliance|url=https://justspacealliance.org/|website=Just Space Alliance|accessdate=28 September 2022}}

= Public appearances =

Walkowicz appeared in Werner Herzog's 2016 documentary Lo and Behold.{{cite web|title=Lucianne Walkowicz|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6903057/|website=IMDb|accessdate=25 June 2017}}
Walkowicz appeared in National Geographic's series MARS.{{cite web|title=Lucianne Walkowicz|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4939064/episodes?season=2&ref_=tt_eps_sn_2|website=IMDb|accessdate=25 June 2017}}
Walkowicz appeared in WGN Evening News's 2020 "Christmas Star".
Walkowicz appeared in Discovery’s 2022 documentary "Last Exit: Space,” directed by Rudolph Herzog

Awards and honors

Asteroid 205599 Walkowicz, discovered by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in 2001, was named in their honor. The official {{MoMP|205599|naming citation}} was published by the Minor Planet Center on 17 November 2013 ({{small|M.P.C. 85914}}).

Trademark lawsuit

In April 2020 Walkowicz filed a trademark lawsuit against Mattel and one of its subsidiaries, American Girl.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/astronomer-files-trademark-lawsuit-american-girl|title=American Girl sued for trademark violation by astronomer|date=2020-04-24|website=Associated Press|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-24}} The lawsuit alleges that the toy-maker stole Walkowicz's likeness for the Luciana Vega astronaut doll.{{Cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/business/2020/4/24/21234461/adler-astronomer-trademark-lawsuit-against-american-girl-lucianne-walkowicz|title=Adler astronomer files trademark lawsuit against American Girl|agency=Associated Press|date=2020-04-24|website=Chicago Sun-Times|language=en|access-date=2020-04-24}}

Personal life

Walkowicz is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.{{Cite web|last=Shadel|first=J. D.|date=2020-07-09|title=This Nonbinary Astronomer Alleges American Girl Stole Their Identity for a Doll|url=https://www.them.us/story/lucianne-walkowicz-american-girl-lawsuit|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-26|website=them|language=en-us}}{{Cite web|last=Lucianne|first=Walkowicz|date=|title=Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz (@RocketToLulu)|url=https://twitter.com/RocketToLulu|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Twitter}}

Walkowicz is a movement artist, practicing aerial circus arts including Aerial Silks and Lyra. In 2019, they premiered a piece titled “40 Orbits,” at the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards at Carnegie Hall.