Joan Najita is an astronomer at NOIRLab, NSF’s research and development center for ground-based optical and infrared astronomy. She studies how stars form from interstellar clouds and how disks surrounding young stars evolve to produce planets and the chemical ingredients of life. She also studies the life histories of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, how discoveries are made, and works to develop new tools and facilities that sustain discovery. A graduate of Harvard, with an AB in physics and astronomy, and of UC Berkeley, with a PhD in astronomy, Joan enjoys communicating science to the public and has a lifelong interest in the power of science to inspire and in the role of science in society. She lives in Tucson, Arizona.
