Pennsylvania State University
AIP Niels Bohr Library and Archives
American Institute of Physics
With the end of the summer comes a new exhibit outside of the Niels Bohr Library and Archives, The History of Black Holes: Or to Physicist, The History of Our Knowledge of Black Holes. This exhibit is a collection of archival materials, Physics Today articles, oral histories, and the result of weeks of research. Black holes are now a common object in sci-fi television and movies. While just 40 years ago they were still an inconceivable part of the anatomy of space. This presentation high lights the human element of physics research. Research of black holes has been affected by not just the limitations of physics and math infrastructure but by small mindedness and war. The purpose of this presentation is to shed light on the events that did not occur in a lab or a lecture but often were a small collection of scientists discussing a topic that puzzled them for decades.
I am a rising Senior at Penn State majoring in Physics with a minor in Education Policy Studies. I am passionate about equitable science education and making other confident in their STEM skills. At Penn State, I am involved in Homecoming, TEDxPSU, and am an RA. As an RA, I have the opportunity to oversee a fantastic floor of young women who are mostly STEM majors. I love living in this community and seeing them grow throughout the year into confident successful young scientists and engineers.