Nobel Prize Winner to Discuss Universe's History

If you’re interested in NASA, telescopes, space — or if you just want to meet a Nobel Prize winner, plan to attend Nobel Laureate John Mather’s lecture at Clemson University Nov. 28. 

Mather will speak about the “History of the Universe from Beginning to End” at 7 p.m. at the Strom Thurmond Institute on campus. Mather is a senior astrophysicist in the Observational Cosmology Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He also is a senior project scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.

The telescope is scheduled to launch in 2018 to explore the evolution of galaxies and provide an understanding of the formation of stars and planets. Mather travels to universities to explain NASA's largest project and present his prize-winning research.

Mather won the Nobel Prize for physics in 2006 by leading a cosmic radiation project that launched a revolutionary space instrument, the Cosmic Background Explorer. This instrument gathered information on high-frequency and radiation patterns traced from the beginning of time.

“Working with Dr. Mather, I have really seen how he has shaped our knowledge and perception regarding space exploration,” said Clemson student James Kaplanges. “NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope project shows NASA’s continuing involvement in making a greater contribution to the world.”