Born in Finland, she emigrated with her family to Argentina in 1954 where she lived for the majority of her life. She became a citizen, married and had two sons.
She started university at the National University of La Plata to study chemistry, but decided on astronomy through the then Astronomy and Geophysics School. She received her doctorate for research done under Jorge Sahade, with whom she collaborated throughout her career.
Careeredit
Her work has had a strong influence in the areas of massive stars and close binaries, especially Wolf-Rayet stars.[1] She pioneered work on Wolf-Rayet stars in the Magellanic Clouds, massive stars in stellar associations and interstellar bubbles around massive stars. This work was done to determine the stellar masses in binary systems and discovered and analyzed the spectroscopic orbits of many binary systems with WR components. This was achieved using data from CASLEO and analyzed the star winds and their interaction with the quasi-stellar medium.[2] She also helped to develop astronomy in Argentina, inspiring many students. After receiving her PhD, she starting working at the National University of La Plata and became a fellow of CONICET.[3] Despite being fired shortly after, she continued her research projects until she started working at the Comisión de Investigaciones Cientifícas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CICBA), where she worked until her death.[3] She also worked for the Instituto de Astrofísica del Espacio (IAFE) in Buenos Aires as part its research staff.[4] There, she supervised students for about a decade. She then took at appointment as professor at the Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas, where she earned her MSc and PhD. The university named her as Emeritus Professor in 2005 to acknowledge her work as researcher.[4] From 1997 to 2001 she was also a member of the editorial committee for the Mexican Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics.[2]
Legacy and organisational affiliationsedit
She also played an important role in women's rights within the scientific research community, pushing to include maternity leave for postgraduate students with research council grants and pointing out cases where gender segregation was influencing job offers.[4]
She became the vice president of the Argentinian Astronomy Association from 1993 until 1996.[2] In 1998, was awarded the Carlos Varsavsky prize for her contribution to Argentine astronomy by the National Academy of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences of Buenos Aires.[2][4] Two years later, they appointed her as a member, as the second female member in the history of the academy. In 2003, she was also the first female awarded the Platinum Prize in Astronomy by the Fundación Konex Argentina. To mark her seventieth birthday, an international workshop on massive stars was held in Carilo on 11–14 December 2006. During the workshop, it was announced that asteroid 5289 would be named Niemela in her honor and that she was elected as and Associate of the Royal Astronomical Society.[3] However, she died just before her birthday, of breast cancer.
Referencesedit
^ abSchmadel, L.D. (2012). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 430. ISBN978-3-642-29718-2. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
^ abcdCappa, Christina (2007). Semblanza de una mujer estelar: Virpi Niemela. Argentine Association of Astronomy Journal, Vol. 50, p. 373-376. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
^ abcdBosch, Guillermo, Paula Benaglia, and Christina Cappa (2008). Virpi Niemela Obituary. Instituto de Astronomía, UNAM. Retrieved 19 October 2021
Obituary, Astronomy and Geophysics, June 2007, 48(3) page 3.37
January 01, 1970
virpi, niemelä, virpi, sinikka, niemelä, helsinki, december, 1936, argentina, december, 2006, leading, finnish, argentine, astronomer, second, argentine, elected, associate, royal, astronomical, society, virpi, sinikka, niemelä, born, finland, emigrated, with,. Virpi Sinikka Niemela Helsinki 26 December 1936 Argentina 18 December 2006 was a leading Finnish Argentine astronomer She was the second Argentine to be elected for Associate of the Royal Astronomical Society 1 Virpi Sinikka Niemela Born in Finland she emigrated with her family to Argentina in 1954 where she lived for the majority of her life She became a citizen married and had two sons Contents 1 Education 2 Career 3 Legacy and organisational affiliations 4 ReferencesEducation editShe started university at the National University of La Plata to study chemistry but decided on astronomy through the then Astronomy and Geophysics School She received her doctorate for research done under Jorge Sahade with whom she collaborated throughout her career Career editHer work has had a strong influence in the areas of massive stars and close binaries especially Wolf Rayet stars 1 She pioneered work on Wolf Rayet stars in the Magellanic Clouds massive stars in stellar associations and interstellar bubbles around massive stars This work was done to determine the stellar masses in binary systems and discovered and analyzed the spectroscopic orbits of many binary systems with WR components This was achieved using data from CASLEO and analyzed the star winds and their interaction with the quasi stellar medium 2 She also helped to develop astronomy in Argentina inspiring many students After receiving her PhD she starting working at the National University of La Plata and became a fellow of CONICET 3 Despite being fired shortly after she continued her research projects until she started working at the Comision de Investigaciones Cientificas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires CICBA where she worked until her death 3 She also worked for the Instituto de Astrofisica del Espacio IAFE in Buenos Aires as part its research staff 4 There she supervised students for about a decade She then took at appointment as professor at the Facultad de Ciencias Astronomicas y Geofisicas where she earned her MSc and PhD The university named her as Emeritus Professor in 2005 to acknowledge her work as researcher 4 From 1997 to 2001 she was also a member of the editorial committee for the Mexican Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics 2 Legacy and organisational affiliations editShe also played an important role in women s rights within the scientific research community pushing to include maternity leave for postgraduate students with research council grants and pointing out cases where gender segregation was influencing job offers 4 She became the vice president of the Argentinian Astronomy Association from 1993 until 1996 2 In 1998 was awarded the Carlos Varsavsky prize for her contribution to Argentine astronomy by the National Academy of Exact Physical and Natural Sciences of Buenos Aires 2 4 Two years later they appointed her as a member as the second female member in the history of the academy In 2003 she was also the first female awarded the Platinum Prize in Astronomy by the Fundacion Konex Argentina To mark her seventieth birthday an international workshop on massive stars was held in Carilo on 11 14 December 2006 During the workshop it was announced that asteroid 5289 would be named Niemela in her honor and that she was elected as and Associate of the Royal Astronomical Society 3 However she died just before her birthday of breast cancer References edit a b Schmadel L D 2012 Dictionary of Minor Planet Names Springer Berlin Heidelberg p 430 ISBN 978 3 642 29718 2 Retrieved 13 December 2018 a b c d Cappa Christina 2007 Semblanza de una mujer estelar Virpi Niemela Argentine Association of Astronomy Journal Vol 50 p 373 376 Retrieved 30 June 2022 a b c Morrell Nidia June 1 2007 Virpi Niemela 1936 2006 Astronomy amp Geophysics 48 3 3 37 3 38 doi 10 1111 j 1468 4004 2007 48337 1 x a b c d Bosch Guillermo Paula Benaglia and Christina Cappa 2008 Virpi Niemela Obituary Instituto de Astronomia UNAM Retrieved 19 October 2021 Obituary Astronomy and Geophysics June 2007 48 3 page 3 37 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Virpi Niemela amp oldid 1194937930, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
