click pic to source
here's a good part of the announcement:
"
carolyn porco, planetary scientist best known for
her work in exploring the outer solar system, has been awarded the
huntington library's science writer fellowship for 2010. the fellowship
brings an official association with the huntington as a science writer
and intermittent residency at the huntington library, art collections,
and botanical gardens. porco's appointment follows that of joe palca,
npr science correspondent, who was at the huntington as science writer
in residence from june through september 2009.
during her stint as a fellow at the huntington, porco will be working on
a book about the cassini mission to saturn, for which she serves as lead
researcher on the imaging team. for the past five years, the cassini
spacecraft has been orbiting the planet, gathering data about its
atmosphere, rings, and moons. in addition to serving as an effective and
ardent spokesperson for the project, porco has led the team responsible
for planning, designing, executing, and analyzing the imaging sequences
coming back to earth from cassini. many of cassini's most notable
discoveries can be credited to her and her team. one such discovery is
the presence of jets of tiny ice grains erupting from the surface of
enceladus, one of saturn's moons. cassini scientists have determined
that the spray accompanying these jets contains water vapor laced with
complex organic chemicals, leading to speculation that enceladus'
environment might be suitable for supporting primitive life forms. porco
is also a member of the imaging team for the new horizons mission to
pluto. that spacecraft is scheduled for a pluto flyby in 2015.
"we are delighted to have dr. porco join us," said robert c. ritchie, w.
m. keck foundation director of research at the huntington. "carolyn is
amazingly imaginative and passionate and is a real tour de force when it
comes to communicating about science to the public. we are thrilled to
have a role in her work in that arena."
porco will also be using the opportunity to work with individuals in the
film and video industry on projects aimed at increasing the public
awareness and understanding of science. "i look at the intersection
between hollywood and science and see it as yet untilled ground, a grand
opportunity to energize and excite people about scientific exploration
and discovery," she said. "the scientific enterprise is, at heart, a
magnificent and very human story, with all the drama, surprise,
heartbreak, and triumph of great theater. i am very much looking forward
to involving myself in telling this story. and i'm also tremendously
grateful to the huntington for their generosity."
porco was a scientific adviser for the movie star trek, which opened
last may. she was also a consultant on the movie contact (1997), based
on the novel by carl sagan. she has been a frequent commentator on
science for cnn and many other radio, television, and print media
outlets. her writing has appeared in the london sunday times, astronomy
magazine, the guardian, new york times, arizona daily star, sky &
telescope, american scientist, and scientific american. she was selected
in 1999 by the london sunday times as one of 18 scientific leaders of
the 21st century.
"
but it's all here.
BONUS!!
if you want to see a jaw-dropping rising of the starship, enterprise, a result of her gig as science advisor to the motion picture, click here!
carolyn porco, planetary scientist best known for
her work in exploring the outer solar system, has been awarded the
huntington library's science writer fellowship for 2010. the fellowship
brings an official association with the huntington as a science writer
and intermittent residency at the huntington library, art collections,
and botanical gardens. porco's appointment follows that of joe palca,
npr science correspondent, who was at the huntington as science writer
in residence from june through september 2009.
during her stint as a fellow at the huntington, porco will be working on
a book about the cassini mission to saturn, for which she serves as lead
researcher on the imaging team. for the past five years, the cassini
spacecraft has been orbiting the planet, gathering data about its
atmosphere, rings, and moons. in addition to serving as an effective and
ardent spokesperson for the project, porco has led the team responsible
for planning, designing, executing, and analyzing the imaging sequences
coming back to earth from cassini. many of cassini's most notable
discoveries can be credited to her and her team. one such discovery is
the presence of jets of tiny ice grains erupting from the surface of
enceladus, one of saturn's moons. cassini scientists have determined
that the spray accompanying these jets contains water vapor laced with
complex organic chemicals, leading to speculation that enceladus'
environment might be suitable for supporting primitive life forms. porco
is also a member of the imaging team for the new horizons mission to
pluto. that spacecraft is scheduled for a pluto flyby in 2015.
"we are delighted to have dr. porco join us," said robert c. ritchie, w.
m. keck foundation director of research at the huntington. "carolyn is
amazingly imaginative and passionate and is a real tour de force when it
comes to communicating about science to the public. we are thrilled to
have a role in her work in that arena."
porco will also be using the opportunity to work with individuals in the
film and video industry on projects aimed at increasing the public
awareness and understanding of science. "i look at the intersection
between hollywood and science and see it as yet untilled ground, a grand
opportunity to energize and excite people about scientific exploration
and discovery," she said. "the scientific enterprise is, at heart, a
magnificent and very human story, with all the drama, surprise,
heartbreak, and triumph of great theater. i am very much looking forward
to involving myself in telling this story. and i'm also tremendously
grateful to the huntington for their generosity."
porco was a scientific adviser for the movie star trek, which opened
last may. she was also a consultant on the movie contact (1997), based
on the novel by carl sagan. she has been a frequent commentator on
science for cnn and many other radio, television, and print media
outlets. her writing has appeared in the london sunday times, astronomy
magazine, the guardian, new york times, arizona daily star, sky &
telescope, american scientist, and scientific american. she was selected
in 1999 by the london sunday times as one of 18 scientific leaders of
the 21st century.
"
but it's all here.
BONUS!!
if you want to see a jaw-dropping rising of the starship, enterprise, a result of her gig as science advisor to the motion picture, click here!
