Posted on December 9, 2019 by College of Sciences
#FacultySpotlight
Angela Speck, Ph.D., Department of Physics and Astronomy
As a five-year-old in Yorkshire, England, Dr. Angela Speck decided she wanted to be an astronaut. After pursuing her childhood dreams with a PhD in Astronomy from University College London, Dr. Speck built the astronomy program at The University of Missouri. Today, she continues to research and teach astrophysics as UTSA's Physics and Astronomy Department Chair. She enjoys combining her love of "all things nerdy" with science outreach, frequently hosting educational events in the San Antonio community for both adults and children. Dr. Speck currently chairs the American Astronomical Association's (AAS) task force on total solar eclipse and is a member of the AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy.
What is your proudest moment with the College of Sciences?
I've only been here for three months, so it's been a steep learning curve and lots of things to juggle. Even so, there have been quite a few good things going on faculty getting recognized for their innovation, being elected to National Academies in Mexico, teacher training efforts making a splash with NASA, $3M grants awarded, amazing students who are Goldwater Scholars and Harpists and the list goes on. It would be hard to pick just one event/instance that I'm most proud of.
What do you enjoy most about astronomy?
I love that I get to try to figure out why things are the way they are in space. Being an astronomer is such a privilege. It's something that everyone has thought about even if only as a kid looking up at the sky. I get to work on thinking about space and things in space every day. And I get to share my passion for space with students, faculty, the public, anyone who wants to listen. Most recently, I have become obsessed with eclipses, which is lucky because a total solar eclipse will be visible from San Antonio in 2024.
— College of Sciences
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