On Friday, March 31, St. Luke’s will welcome NASA scientist – and senior Peter Corcoran’s cousin – Richard Myers to the Hilltop. Currently, Myers is a member of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope program (JWST). During mini-course time, Myers will shed light on his story.

JWST is considered to be “one of the most audacious space programs in decades.” Placed roughly one million miles from Earth, JWST is larger and more sophisticated than all of its predecessors, including the renowned Hubble Space Telescope.

According to the Goddard Space Flight Center, JWST is an orbiting infrared observatory that uses wavelengths to search for the first galaxies, investigate the potential of life in solar systems, and examine dust clouds, where planetary systems are forming.  Corcoran is fascinated by the “far reaching consequences that [JWST] will have on the future of space travel and scientific discovery.”

Myers played a significant role in all phases of JWST’s development. In 2014, Myers received the James Webb Space Telescope Award for Outstanding Achievement, a testament to his dedication and impact.

Tomorrow, students will have the remarkable opportunity to hear about JWST firsthand, and the event would not have been possible without Corcoran, who arranged and planned it.

Corcoran said, “I hope that his [Myers] presentation encourages and motivates those interested in the STEM fields to dream big and achieve similar successes in their careers.”

If you are interested in listening to Myers, sign up here.  The presentation will be held this Friday from 10:20-11:05 in the Biology room.