Professor, Physics
(Tracey) Jane Turner received her BSc in Mathematics with Astronomy in 1984 and her PhD in X-ray Astronomy in 1988, both from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. Arriving in the USA Oct 1988 she first worked as an Associate Research Scientist with USRA, based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). During her time at GSFC Jane supported the guest observer facility for the X-ray satellite ROSAT. Jane then supported timeline planning for the GSFC-built instrument BBXRT, when it flew as part of the ASTRO-1 shuttle mission STS-35. Jane’s research interests are based around the study of active galactic nuclei (AGN): this has entailed analysis of data from a large variety of X-ray instruments including EXOSAT, Einstein, Ginga, ROSAT, BBXRT ASCA, XMM-Newton, BeppoSAX, Suzaku and Chandra. Jane and her collaborators use X-ray data to pick up signatures of material close to the black hole that lies at the nucleus of an AGN. From these X-ray signatures they can learn about accretion onto black holes, and the process of forming a wind that returns gas back to the host galaxy. Jane as been a part of UMBC since 1998. She is currently a Professor in the Department of Physics and the Director of UMBC’s Center for Space, Science and Technology (CSST). Dr. Turner is also a member of UMBC’s 4th ADVANCE Leadership Cohort. In Dr. Turner’s words, “ADVANCE has created a strong network of well-informed and supportive women at UMBC, ensuring that women’s contributions to STEM departments are appropriately recognized and appreciated. This backbone of support is one of the most important components of my work life at UMBC.”