Professor Wendy Freedman was recently awarded the National Medal of Science for her significant contributions to astronomy, particularly in measuring the Hubble constant.
Professor Wendy Freedman received the National Medal of Science last month, acknowledging her essential work in cosmology and astronomy. This prestigious award, given by the U.S. National Science Foundation, is reserved for those who make outstanding contributions to knowledge that benefits the nation.
At UChicago, Freedman holds the John and Marion Sullivan Professorship in Astronomy and Astrophysics. She discussed her research and its impact on the scientific field in an interview.
Freedman has focused on the Hubble constant, a crucial factor in understanding the universe’s age and expansion rate. She joined UChicago in 2014 to refine measurements of this constant, aiming to address potential errors in current physics understanding.
“We were looking for ways to enhance the accuracy of our measurements,” she explained. “This led us to question if there were discrepancies or unknown errors affecting our results.”
Freedman’s journey in astronomy started in Canada, where her interest blossomed. She pursued her degree and Ph.D. at the University of Toronto, and began her career at Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, California, in 1987. During her time there, she used the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope to explore the distances to various galaxies.
Notably, she co-led a 30-member team on the Hubble Key Project, aiming to measure the distances of galaxies using Cepheid variable stars, which are incredibly bright and pulsate in a pattern.
“When the Hubble Space Telescope launched, I became the scientific lead on a project focused on determining the universe’s expansion rate,” Freedman said. “This work helped clarify a long-standing debate about the universe’s age.”
Her team’s measurement of the Hubble constant stands at 72 km/s/Mpc, suggesting the universe is between 13.7 and 13.8 billion years old.
Freedman made history as the first woman to hold a permanent position at the observatory. She recalled how, until the 1980s, many women faced barriers in the field due to outdated beliefs, such as a lack of restroom facilities for female staff.
“I feel lucky to have emerged as a leader during a period of change in my field,” she noted. “It’s encouraging to see more women entering astronomy today.”
At UChicago, Freedman’s team uses new techniques to measure the Hubble constant by studying specific types of stars to get precise distance calculations. In 2019, she published findings that clarified a scientific controversy regarding the Hubble constant, although debates continue among researchers.
Freedman is intrigued by the possibility that current understandings of cosmology may be incomplete. “If both our measurements and those of the microwave background hold true, we might be missing something fundamental in physics,” she shared. “That could lead us to new discoveries about our universe.”
Joshua Frieman, head of UChicago’s Astronomy and Astrophysics, has worked alongside Freedman and praises her mentorship and expertise. He highlights how her groundbreaking work has been vital to astrophysics.
“Wendy’s early measurements solved a long-standing cosmology debate,” Frieman remarked. “Her recent findings using the James Webb Space Telescope could also reshape our understanding of the field.”
Freedman expressed excitement about using the James Webb Space Telescope, which she advocated for over 25 years ago. Watching its development and finally utilizing its data has been fulfilling for her. She encourages others to navigate challenges in pursuit of their passions. “Don’t let obstacles hold you back. If you love what you do, you’ll find a way,” she advised.
