David Weintraub (physicist)

David A. Weintraub is an American astrophysicist and is the Professor of Astronomy at Vanderbilt University. ^[1]

Early life and education

Weintraub was raised Jewish, and developed an early interest in religion and astronomy, especially the persecution of Galileo Galilei by the Roman Catholic Church. ^[2]

Career

Weintraub authored Is Pluto a Planet? A Historical Journey through the Solar System in 2006. ^[3] He authored Exoplanets: The Pace of Discovery and the Potential Impact on Humanity. In 2015, Weintraub was awarded the Klopsteg Memorial Award by the American Association of Physics Teachers. ^[4]

He published Religion and Extraterrestrial life: How will we deal with it?, in 2014. The book explores various religious reactions to the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and speculates on the potential theological ramifications discovering alien life. ^{[5] [6]}

In 2018, he published Life On Mars: What to know before we go, which details the history of mankind's fascination with the possibility of life on Mars. ^[7]

In 2022, Weintraub edited the volume The Sky Is For Everyone, with Virginia Trimble. ^[8] The book was published by Princeton University Press, and details the biographies and accomplishments of women in the field of astronomy. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

References

1. "Weintraub to discuss 'Exoplanets, Extraterrestrial Life and Religion'". Vanderbilt University. November 19, 2014. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
2. Ercan, Ismail. "Navigating the Crossroads of Science and Religion with Astronomy Professor David Weintraub". Vanderbilt Political Review. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
3. Weintraub, David A. (2014-06-12). Is Pluto a Planet?. Princeton University Press. doi:10.1515/9781400852970. ISBN   978-1-4008-5297-0.
4. "Weintraub receives 2015 Klopsteg Memorial Lecture Award". Vanderbilt University. March 13, 2015. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
5. Ambrosino, Brandon (16 December 2016). "If we made contact with aliens, how would religions react?". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
6. Wright, Chris (October 26, 2014). "How would earthly religions handle aliens?". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
7. "The Space Review: Review: Life on Mars". thespacereview.com. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
8. "The Sky Is for Everyone: Women Astronomers in Their Own Words by". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
9. "The Space Review: Review: The Sky Is for Everyone". www.thespacereview.com. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
10. Shelton, Jim (2022-08-10). "'The Sky is for Everyone': Yale women astronomers share their stories". YaleNews. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
11. "Virginia Trimble and David Weintraub on The Sky is for Everyone". press.princeton.edu. Retrieved 2022-10-15.