Samar Safi-Harb

Summary

Samar Safi-Harb is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manitoba and a Canada Research Chair in Supernova Remnant Astrophysics and Extreme Astrophysics.[1][2][3] She was the Vice President of the Canadian Astronomical Society from 2020 to 2021.[4]

Samar Safi-Harb
TitleProfessor
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
Academic work
DisciplineAstrophysics
Sub-disciplineSupernova remnants
InstitutionsUniversity of Manitoba
Websitehttp://www2.physics.umanitoba.ca/u/samar/

Background and education edit

Samar Safi-Harb grew up in Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war.[5] Despite loving physics in high school, Safi-Harb thought she would become a medical doctor and started a pre-medical physics undergraduate degree at the American University of Beirut.[5][6][7] After her undergraduate degree, she chose to follow her passion in physics and pursued graduate studies in physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, receiving her MSc in 1993 and her PhD in 1997.[5][8]

Following her graduate studies, Safi-Harb completed a fellowship at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center where she worked in the high energy astrophysics lab.[5] In 2000, she left NASA to start the University of Manitoba's graduate astrophysics program.[5][6][7]

Research edit

Safi-Harb's research focuses on high energy studies of the remnants leftover by supernovae, including neutron stars and their nebulae.[1][9] In 2021, Safi-Harb and her former graduate student Harsha Blumer published their results from their observations of the magnetar Swift J1818.0−1607, first detected by the NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in 2020, using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.[10][11][12]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Samar Safi-Harb Profile". Canada Research Chairs. November 29, 2012.
  2. ^ Harris, Teresa (December 16, 2017). "Meet Dr. Samar Safi-Harb, Canada Research Chairholder in Astrophysics". Women of Influence.
  3. ^ "Canadian Research Chairs Chairholders". Canadian Research Chairs. 2023-03-01. Archived from the original on Mar 21, 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  4. ^ "Past Officers and Directors of the Society". CASCA.
  5. ^ a b c d e Abas, Malak (2016-03-02). "The University of Manitoba professor that helped launch a rocket". The Manitoban. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  6. ^ a b Martin, Melissa (2018-04-14). "Apr 2018: Astrophysicist connects the dots from science 'up there' to a better life 'down here'". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  7. ^ a b Harris, Teresa. "Meet Dr. Samar Safi-Harb, Canada Research Chairholder in Astrophysics – Women of Influence". Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  8. ^ "Brief CV". www2.physics.umanitoba.ca. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  9. ^ "Manitoba scientist over the moon after X-ray experiment blasts off into space". CBC News. 2016-02-17. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  10. ^ January 2021, Chelsea Gohd 12 (12 January 2021). "Astronomers spot the fastest spinning magnetar ever seen". Space.com. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Rutkowski, Chris (2020-11-23). "UM astronomer and former graduate student take close look at powerful new 'baby magnetar' in Sagittarius". University of Manitoba Today. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  12. ^ "Chandra studies extraordinary magnetar". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 2021-02-12.