Stephen Thorsett
Encyclopedia
Stephen Erik Thorsett is an American
professor
and astronomer
. His research interests include radio pulsars and gamma ray bursts. He is known for measurements of the masses of neutron star
s and for the use of binary pulsars to test the theory of general relativity
. Thorsett was a professor and dean at the University of California, Santa Cruz
, before becoming president of Willamette University
in July 2011.
, on December 3, 1964, to Grant Thorsett and his wife, Karen. Stephen grew up in Salem, Oregon
, where his parents moved after he was born, and where his father was a biology professor at Willamette University. After attending elementary school and junior high in Salem, he graduated from South Salem High School
in 1983. During his youth he earned money picking berries and with several jobs at Willamette.
Following high school, he attended Carleton College
in Northfield, Minnesota
. There he received a Bachelor of Arts
in mathematics
in 1987, graduating summa cum laude. Thorsett then earned a Master of Arts degree
in 1989 and a Ph.D.
in 1991 in physics
from Princeton University
. With graduate school classmates Nathan Newbury, Michael J. Newman, John Ruhl
, and Suzanne Staggs he is the author of the textbook Princeton Problems in Physics while at Princeton in 1991.
in 1994, and was named an Alfred P. Sloan
Fellow in 1997. In 1999, he was hired at the University of California, Santa Cruz
,
as a professor of astronomy and astrophysics
. Thorsett was named dean
of the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences on July 1, 2006.
In 2004, with collaborators Ingrid Stairs and Zaven Arzoumanian, he made the first measurement of gravitational spin-orbit coupling in a binary system. He helped discover the oldest known extrasolar planet and was the first to suggest that a nearby gamma ray burst might cause a mass extinction event. He is a co-editor of three volumes for the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
. He is also a collaborator on the upcoming Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array
x-ray satellite experiment.
On May 14, 2011, he was named as the 23rd president of Willamette University
in Salem, Oregon
. He will assume the position on July 1, 2011, replacing M. Lee Pelton
who had resigned to take the presidency at another college.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and astronomer
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. His research interests include radio pulsars and gamma ray bursts. He is known for measurements of the masses of neutron star
Neutron star
A neutron star is a type of stellar remnant that can result from the gravitational collapse of a massive star during a Type II, Type Ib or Type Ic supernova event. Such stars are composed almost entirely of neutrons, which are subatomic particles without electrical charge and with a slightly larger...
s and for the use of binary pulsars to test the theory of general relativity
General relativity
General relativity or the general theory of relativity is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It is the current description of gravitation in modern physics...
. Thorsett was a professor and dean at the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
, before becoming president of Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
in July 2011.
Early life
Stephen Thorsett was born in New Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, on December 3, 1964, to Grant Thorsett and his wife, Karen. Stephen grew up in Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, where his parents moved after he was born, and where his father was a biology professor at Willamette University. After attending elementary school and junior high in Salem, he graduated from South Salem High School
South Salem High School
South Salem High School was the second public high school built in Salem, Oregon, in 1954, at which time the former Salem High School was renamed North Salem High School.-History:...
in 1983. During his youth he earned money picking berries and with several jobs at Willamette.
Following high school, he attended Carleton College
Carleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
in Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
. There he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
in 1987, graduating summa cum laude. Thorsett then earned a Master of Arts degree
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1989 and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1991 in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. With graduate school classmates Nathan Newbury, Michael J. Newman, John Ruhl
John Ruhl
John Ruhl is a professor of physics at Case Western Reserve University. He received a BS in physics from the University of Michigan in 1987 and a Ph.D. in physics from Princeton in 1993. While a graduate student at Princeton, Ruhl, along with several other graduate students, co-authored the text...
, and Suzanne Staggs he is the author of the textbook Princeton Problems in Physics while at Princeton in 1991.
Academic career
After graduation from Princeton, he was a Robert A. Millikan Research Fellow in physics at Caltech and an assistant professor of physics at Princeton. He received the Ernest F. Fullam Award of the Dudley ObservatoryDudley Observatory
Dudley Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Along with Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany Law School, Albany Medical College, the Graduate College of Union University, and Union College, it is one of the constituent entities of Union...
in 1994, and was named an Alfred P. Sloan
Alfred P. Sloan
Alfred Pritchard Sloan, Jr. was an American business executive in the automotive industry. He was a long-time president, chairman, and CEO of General Motors Corporation...
Fellow in 1997. In 1999, he was hired at the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
,
as a professor of astronomy and astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
. Thorsett was named dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences on July 1, 2006.
In 2004, with collaborators Ingrid Stairs and Zaven Arzoumanian, he made the first measurement of gravitational spin-orbit coupling in a binary system. He helped discover the oldest known extrasolar planet and was the first to suggest that a nearby gamma ray burst might cause a mass extinction event. He is a co-editor of three volumes for the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...
. He is also a collaborator on the upcoming Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array
Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array
Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array is a planned space-based X-ray telescope that will use grazing incidence mirrors to focus high energy X-rays at 5 to 79 keV from astrophysical sources, especially for nuclear spectroscopy...
x-ray satellite experiment.
On May 14, 2011, he was named as the 23rd president of Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
in Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
. He will assume the position on July 1, 2011, replacing M. Lee Pelton
M. Lee Pelton
Dr. Marvin Lee Pelton is an academic administrator and college president. A native of Kansas, he held leadership roles at Colgate University and Dartmouth College before becoming the first African-American president of an independent college when he became Willamette University's president in 1998...
who had resigned to take the presidency at another college.