Post #2790886
2023-05-10 15:29 UTC
Following her PhD, Payne conducted massive surveys of bright stars, and worked on both variable stars and supernovae.
Replies (1)
-
@mcnees@mastodon.social 2023-05-10 15:29
From the time she finished her PhD until 1938, Payne's title was "technical assistant" to Harlow Shapley. She performed all the duties of a Harvard professor, but women were not officially promoted to that position. In 1938 she was given the title "Astronomer." Finally, in 1956 she became the first woman promoted to Full Professor at Harvard. That same year she became the first woman to head a department at Harvard, when she was appointed Chair of Astronomy.