Wen-fai Fong named ‘Rising Star’ by Astronomy Magazine

Astrophysicist Wen-fai Fong, was recognized by Astronomy Magazine in their list, “Rising Stars in Astronomy.” Fong is assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Northwestern.

Fong is one of 25 early-career researchers recognized by Astronomy Magazine for having distinguished themselves from their peers and made a significant impact in the field. Fong was cited for her work to better understand the universe’s fastest explosions, known as transients, which include fast radio bursts (FRBs) and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) – the latter, an enigmatic event with a previously unknown cause. Fong led one of the teams that determined GRBs “can be caused by a merger of two dense stellar remnants known as neutron stars.”

“I am honored to be among this international group of talented scientists,” Fong said. “This honor gives me a chance to reflect upon my career thus far. It has been thrilling to interact with the universe as it changes on timescales relevant to humans (hours to days) and make new discoveries. It is particularly heart-warming for me to pass excitement on to the next generation of students and for them to see the universe in fresh ways and make their own discoveries.”

This important recognition comes on the heels of other recent honors, including an NSF CAREER Award, Packard Fellowship, and Cottrell Scholar Award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement.

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