The Webb telescope is the largest, most sophisticated telescope ever launched into space. After more than one year of normal science operations, Webb has opened a new window into the Universe and is fulfilling its promise of making revolutionary discoveries in all areas of astronomy. Its images are not only inspiring but tell a story of exploration and wonder. In this talk, we will walk together through space and time, and learn about JWST’s most recent and impactful science discoveries.
Dr. Macarena Garcia Marin is an Astrophysicist for the European Space Agency and Project Scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute. Garcia Marin is from the Canary Islands, Spain, where beautiful dark skies and the presence of an astronomical observatory inspired her to become an astronomer. She pursued her undergraduate studies in the Canary Islands, and earned her PhD in Madrid, Spain. She then moved to Cologne, Germany, with a post-doctoral position to conduct multi-wavelength extragalactic studies, as well as studies of the black hole in the center of our galaxy. She also joined the JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) Test Team and participated in all the ground testing and calibration campaigns up until the JWST launch.
In 2015 she joined the European Space Agency and moved to Baltimore to be part of the MIRI team at the Space Telescope Science Institute. There she has worked in the operations, calibration, and commissioning of MIRI, and between 2019 and 2022 served as team lead. More recently, in summer 2023, she was appointed JWST Project Scientist for the Space Telescope Science Institute.
Garcia Marin is an expert in infrared imaging and spectroscopy and is part of international collaborations that use space and ground-based observatories to understand the origin and evolutions of our galaxies, from the dawn of the Universe to our own galactic center.