As the end of 2021 approaches, we celebrate the certification of 28 women in STEM who became the first generation of PROVOCA mentors, a trained group of professionals and students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics that will provide mentoring to girls and young college students who decide to pursue a career in these disciplines.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the board of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have approved a multi-million dollar upgrade project for the Observatory’s 1.3mm (Band 6) receivers through the North American ALMA Development Program. The receivers—originally built, and to be upgraded, by the Central Development Laboratory (CDL) at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)—are the most scientifically productive in ALMA’s lineup.

Astronomers study the universe by capturing light from the sky, but they can also learn thing by sending radio light into space.

Released in November 2021, the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey—Astro2020—not only set scientific priorities for the discovery and study of potentially habitable worlds and finding answers to big questions about the nature of the Universe, but also emphasized the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the field of astrophysics. The inclusion of DEI initiatives in the report signals a shift in the industry, one for which the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and its partners have been building a foundation for over a decade. 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Central Development Laboratory (CDL) $250,000 in Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) funding to support the proof-of-concept development of high-performance reflectionless radio frequency filters at 40 GHz and above for high-frequency applications, including wireless and defense. 

Astronomers used the VLA to trace a corkscrew-shaped magnetic field in a powerful jet of material ejected from the core of a massive galaxy farther away from the central galaxy’s central black hole than ever seen before. The new images provide clues that will help understand the mechanics of such jets, which are seen throughout the Universe.