On June 4, Dr. Alicia Soderberg, Professor in Astrophysics at Harvard University and one of the first scientists to observe supernovas – the catastrophic death of a star — spoke with students at Gymnasium Hofwil in Münchenbuchsee about her work. She went into detail about how she detected the supernova. She was one of the first astronomers to see a star in the act of exploding, which is a milestone because most supernovas are observed weeks after they have actually exploded. In addition to explaining the importance of supernovas for the development of the universe, Soderberg and the students enjoyed a far-ranging discussion that included astrophysics, how she deals with being a female scientist in a male-dominated environment, and even what science fiction movie on space she thought was most realistic – “Contact.”

By U.S. Mission Switzerland | 5 June, 2015 | Topics: Education, Events, Former U.S. Ambassadors