“When a person can be their authentic self at work, I strongly believe that they will do more brilliant, creative science.” – Jane Rigby
Dr. Jane Rigby is awarded as 2022’s LGBTQ+ Scientist of the Year by Out to Innovate. She is an astrophysicist at NASA working on the James Webb Telescope and high signal-to-noise IR spectroscopy imaging. As a high school student, Rigby was inspired by astronaut Sally Ride, the first American woman and known LGBTQ+ astronaut. Rigby pursued her bachelor’s degree in physics and astronomy at Penn State, then earned her PhD studying galactic nuclei at the University of Arizona. Throughout her career, Rigby has lacked LGBTQ+ peers and representation in the workplace. Rigby often found it difficult to feel included. Today, turning to address these issues, Rigby has co-founded a creative STEM outreach program for LGBTQ+ students and serves on the LGBT equality working group. Dr. Rigby has also been awarded the Robert H. Goddard Award for Exceptional Achievement for Science and listed as Nature 10s Ones to Watch.