2025 Scialog: Early Science with the LSST Award
In February 2025, the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) announced the first-year awards for Scialog: Early Science with the LSST, a three-year initiative designed to advance foundational science in preparation for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The program granted 21 awards of $60,000 each to support 20 scientists across the United States and Canada.
Among the awardees is Dr. Krista Smith, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University. Dr. Smith, in collaboration with Dr. Adi Foord from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, received funding for their project titled "Towards a Census of Dual AGN Across Cosmic Time." This research aims to enhance our understanding of dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) and their evolution throughout the universe's history.
Dr. Smith's involvement in this project underscores her active engagement in cutting-edge astrophysical research. In addition to this recent accolade, she was selected in June 2024 by NASA's Astrophysics Division to serve on the joint ESA-NASA Science Team for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. As one of six U.S. scientists on the team, Dr. Smith contributes to the mission's scientific oversight and acts as a liaison between the agencies and the broader scientific community.
These achievements highlight Dr. Smith's significant contributions to astrophysics and her leadership in advancing our comprehension of the cosmos.