Claire Ellen Max (born September 29, 1946) is a Professor of Astronomy and

Astrophysics Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline said, Astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the nature of the h ...

at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) and is affiliated with the

Lick Observatory The Lick Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the University of California. It is on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, United States. The observatory is managed by th ...

. She is the Director of the Center for Adaptive Optics at UCSC. Max received the E.O. Lawrence Award in Physics.

Biography

In 1972, Max received her Ph.D. in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University, following her B.A. degree in Astronomy from Harvard University, in 1968. Following postdoctoral work at the University of California, Berkeley, Max joined the scientific staff of the

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is a federal research facility in Livermore, California, United States. The lab was originally established as the University of California Radiation Laboratory, Livermore Branch in 1952 in response ...

in 1974, working on problems in plasma physics relating to fusion technology. In 1984, she became the founding Director of the Livermore branch of the UC Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, and in 1995, she became the Director of University Relations. She joined the faculty at UCSC in 2001. Max is best known for her contributions to the theory of adaptive optics as a technique for reducing the optical distortions of images taken through the turbulent atmosphere. This work began at the JASON Defense Advisory Group, which she joined in 1983 as its first female member. With her colleagues in JASON, she developed the idea of using an artificial laser guide star to correct astronomical images. In addition to continuing to develop this technology at the Center for Adaptive Optics, she uses adaptive optics to study active galactic nuclei as well as planets in the Solar System.

Awards and honors

* Fellow,

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of k ...

* Fellow,

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific respons ...

* Fellow, SPIE *2002, Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences *2003, Woman of the Year in Science, Alameda County (CA) Women's Hall of Fame *2004, E.O. Lawrence Award in Physics, U.S. Department of Energy, for her contributions to the theory of laser adaptive optics and the applications of adaptive optics to ground-based astronomy *2005, Hartnell College, Salinas, CA: “President’s Partnership of Excellence” Award *2006, Science Award, Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland CA * 2008,

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

*2009, James Madison Medal, Princeton University *2015, Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation, American Astronomical Society *2020, Legacy Fellow of the

American Astronomical Society The American Astronomical Society (AAS, sometimes spoken as "double-A-S") is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC. The primary objective of the AAS is to promote the adv ...

References

External links

Dr. Max's page @ UCSC

UC Santa Cruz article about Claire Max

The Center for Adaptive Optics
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Claire Max's Non-technical Talk in the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series
{{DEFAULTSORT:Max, Claire E. 1946 births Living people American women astronomers Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Lick Observatory Harvard University alumni Princeton University alumni University of California, Santa Cruz faculty Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences Women planetary scientists Planetary scientists Fellows of the American Astronomical Society

Biography

Awards and honors

See also

References

External links