From MIT Technology Review · · 1m
Nebraska farm girl becomes galaxy cluster researcher
Megan Donahue went from reading in a small-town library to studying the universe's composition as a physics professor.
In brief
Megan Donahue went from reading in a small-town library to studying the universe's composition as a physics professor. Megan Donahue, a Nebraska native who discovered physics in her local library at age twelve, now studies galaxy clusters as a professor at Michigan State University to understand the universe's…
Library sparked a physicist's path
Growing up on a small farm in Nebraska, Megan Donahue discovered her passion for physics at age twelve by reading through her local library. She found her way into astronomy through a providential interaction.
“a providential interaction”
MIT research shaped her career
Through MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, Donahue got introduced to cutting-edge x-ray imaging work she found really cool. She is now a professor of physics and astronomy at Michigan State University.
“really cool”
Galaxy clusters reveal universe's secrets
Donahue researches galaxy clusters and baryonic matter to learn about the universe's composition and evolution. She served as president of the American Astronomical Society from two thousand eighteen to two thousand twenty.
“Clusters of galaxies are very large scoops of the universe. It's like taking a sample from the ocean.”
The takeaway
Megan Donahue, a Nebraska native who discovered physics in her local library at age twelve, now studies galaxy clusters as a professor at Michigan State University to understand the universe's composition.
