Dr. Emily Levesque
Emily Levesque is an astronomy professor at the University of Washington. Her research is focused on understanding how the most massive stars in the universe evolve and die. She has observed for upward of fifty nights on many of the planet’s largest telescopes and flown over the Antarctic stratosphere in an experimental aircraft for her research. Her academic accolades include the 2014 Annie Jump Cannon Award, a 2017 Alfred P. Sloan fellowship, a 2019 Cottrell Scholar award, and the 2020 Newton Lacy Pierce Prize. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from MIT and a PhD in astronomy from the University of Hawaii.
Emily grew up in southern Massachusetts. Her first experience with astronomy was seeing Halley’s Comet from her backyard when she was two years old. As an undergraduate she discovered the three largest stars in the universe, and in 2014 she led a research group in discovering a completely new type of star.
When she occasionally stumbles across some spare time, she attempts to spend it traveling, playing violin, skiing, messing with new recipes, or finishing triathlons very slowly. These plans are often waylaid by an old couch and a new book.
The Last Stargazers is her first popular science book. She lives with her husband in Seattle.
Upcoming Events
Stargazing Adventures: The Science and Stories of Space
For ages 9 and older! Shooting stars, a lunar eclipse, and a dazzling view of Saturn are just some of the celestial wonders that you could see from home this […]
Book Launch with Zach Weinersmith at Elliott Bay Books!
Launching The Last Stargazers with SMBC's Zach Weinersmith!
Astronomy At Home with UW!
I’ll be joining the Astronomy On Tap Seattle organizers and members of the UW Dirac institute for an adventure exploring the life of a professional astronomer! We’ll take a behind-the-scenes […]