UNDER THE RADAR - The Life and Times of Ruby Payne Scott, pioneer female radio astronomer

Professor Miller Goss
Head of Division of Science and Academic Affairs
National Radio Astronomy Observatory, US.

Tuesday 6 March 2007, 6.00pm
Slade Lecture Theatre, School of Physics, The University of Sydney.

RSVP: outreach@physics.usyd.edu.au, or
9351 3472 (recorded message)

Astronomer Professor Miller Goss first heard about the legend of Ruby
Payne-Scott's towering intellect when he visited Australia for six
years in the late 1960s. Little did Goss know that he would become
Payne-Scott's champion uncovering secrets and scandal along the way.

His discoveries include her top-secret work on radar during World War
II, her secret marriage to Bill Hall, and the fact that she was an
active communist. Forced to resign from CSIRO for being married (her
pregnancy 'outing' her) she became an advocate for women's rights.
Even though he never met her Miller Goss is determined that
Payne-Scott's extraordinary contribution to science will not go
unheeded any longer.

If you would like to attend what is sure to be a fascinating insight
into one of Australia's pioneering radio astronomers please RSVP to
ASAP as bookings are essential.

Dr Miller Goss was at CSIRO Div of Radiophysics from 1967 to 1970 and
from 1974-1977, receiving the Pawsey Medal in 1976 from the Australia Acad.
of Science. He was a prof of astronomy in Groningen the Netherlands from
1977-1986, then the director of the Very Large Array and the Very Long
Baseline Array of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory from 1988 to
2002. He is currently the head of the Div of Science and Academic Affairs at
the US's National Radio Astronomy Observatory.