 Timothy
C. Beers
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Timothy C. Beers' scientific vision and pursuit of
excellence in research, education and outreach has made him
the worldwide leader in the search for the oldest and most
chemically primitive stars in the galaxy and the universe.
His efforts have led to the identification of more than
2,000 stars with metal abundances less than one percent of
the solar value. These stars are providing astronomers and
physicists with their best records of the chemical
composition of the universe from the time of their formation
some 13.5 billion years ago and of the origin and evolution
of the chemical elements. Beers is a co-discoverer of the
two most primitive "still shining" stars known and was named
2003 Michigan Scientist of the Year by Impression 5 Science
Center. He is also a co-investigator in the $10 million
Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics Physics Frontier
Center and spearheads its involvement in the Sloan Digital
Sky Survey.
"It is a great honor to be recognized by MSU with the
Distinguished Faculty Award. Our university's involvement
with the new SOAR 4.1m telescope is an exciting commitment
to the future of astronomy at MSU, for which I am most
grateful. I have benefited tremendously from the
collegiality and advice of my fellow astronomers, physicists
and other scientists."
Original
article at
http://newsbulletin.msu.edu/feb0906/distinguished_faculty.html
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