Director Of Astronomy At Maria Mitchell Association Leaving Nantucket To Become Professor In California

Dr. Regina Jorgenson, the director of astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) for the past eight years, is leaving the organization to take a tenure-track professorship at the California State Polytechnic University at Humboldt, the MMA announced on Tuesday.

The island non-profit stated that it had hired Dr. Geoff Clayton, a retired professor of physics and astronomy, as its interim director of astronomy to fill Jorgenson's position while it begins a search process to appoint her successor.

"The MMA is excited for Dr. Jorgenson to take this step in her career," the non-profit stated in its announcement. "Since 2016, she has received and supervised several National Science Foundation grants, led the esteemed National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) program in astronomy, and led 'Open Nights' at Loines Observatory and other astronomy-related programs."

Jorgenson was a former MMA intern and worked under her predecessor, Dr. Vladimir Strelnitski, the organization's previous director of astronomy.

“The dark sky is actually a very precious natural resource that Nantucket has — one that we need to protect — because it’s not true in lots of places," Jorgenson told N Magazine back in 2016 when she was first hired. 

Clayton, a Nantucket visitor going back to his youth and a year-round island resident, recently retired from Louisiana State University as the Ball Family Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy. He is a longtime member of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), a past vice president of the AAS, and for several years worked as a summer assistant director of astronomy at the MMA with Dr. Strelnitski.

The MMA's search committee to identify Jorgenson's replacement will include astronomers, former MMA astronomy interns, and board members. 

"The MMA, its executive director Joanna Roche, and its Board of Directors are grateful for (Jorgenson's) good work and wish her well in her new endeavor," the non-profit stated in its announcement.