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Faculty Spotlight - 2024 President鈥檚 Medal Honoree Dr. Jean Eilek For as long as she can remember, Jean Eilek has been fascinated by the universe. That fascination led her from her home in California to UC Berkeley, then to graduate study at the University of British Columbia, and postdoctoral research in England and Virginia. Along the way she fell in love with astrophysics and with the emerging field of radio astronomy. The newly built Very Large Array (VLA) captured her imagination, promising answers to questions about galaxies, stars, and plasmas spread across the cosmos. It was also in Virginia that Jean met Frazer Owen, a young astronomer on staff with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). When Jean was offered a faculty position in physics at 色狐入口 Tech, and Frazer was able to relocate to NRAO鈥檚 Socorro office, the decision was clear. That move marked the beginning of decades spent building careers, friendships, and lives in a place that came to feel like home. Jean became a dedicated teacher, researcher, and mentor at Tech. She taught a wide range of physics and astrophysics courses, guided students through research, and pursued her own investigations into galaxies and diffuse plasmas. The classroom, the laboratory, and the observatory became spaces of discovery not only for her but also for the many students she inspired. Over the years she held dual roles as professor of physics at NMT and adjunct astronomer with NRAO, and today she continues her work as Professor Emerita. Looking back, Jean resists calling out a single defining project or accomplishment. For her, the joy has always come from the people: the students who challenged and inspired her, the colleagues at NMT and NRAO who became lifelong collaborators, and the broader Socorro community that welcomed her and gave her a sense of belonging. What began as an unfamiliar desert town slowly became the perfect place to live, surrounded by high mountains and the warmth of friends and neighbors. Jean is quick to downplay talk of her own 鈥渋mpact.鈥� Ask her, and she鈥檒l say that鈥檚 for students and colleagues to decide. Yet her influence is clear in the many careers she has helped launch, the research she has carried forward, and the legacy of curiosity and persistence she has left in her department. Being named a President鈥檚 Medal honoree is a recognition she accepts with humility. 鈥淚鈥檓 honored, of course,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd glad that I鈥檝e been able to help my NMT, NRAO, and Socorro communities over the years.鈥� For Jean, the work continues. She still teaches, mentors, collaborates, and supports the institutions and community that became the foundation of her life. And when asked about her legacy, she answers with humor and modesty - perhaps not a building or a lecture hall, but maybe a set of weights in the wellness center. 鈥淒oesn鈥檛 the 鈥楨ilek dumbbells鈥� have a nice ring?鈥� she quips. Behind the joke lies the truth of her career: not driven by a desire for recognition, but by a deep love of science, teaching, and community. That love has left an indelible mark on 色狐入口 Tech, the field of astrophysics, and the town of Socorro, places she is proud to call home. |
Dr. Jean Eilek