Take a cosmic journey with one of the six interdisciplinary scientists advising NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope program. Dr. Heidi B. Hammel will share her front-line experience with JWST since its official genesis in 2002, explaining why JWST was built and how it revolutionizes astrophysics. The University of Hawai‘i–trained astronomer will share the latest results from the telescope, including public highlights as well as results from her own science program to explore the Solar System with the new space telescope.

JWST was launched On Christmas Day 2021 to the Sun-Earth Lagrange 2 point, where it can maintain a clear view of deep space. After months of optical commissioning and fine-tuning, the first images were released to the world in July. The telescope's powerful infrared capability revealed new vistas, from nearby in our galaxy out to the edge of the Universe. Since then, a steady stream of new data has enthralled astronomers and intrigued the public.

Dr. Hammel is vice president for science of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) consortium and a Space Science Institute senior research scientist.