West Virginia University professor Maura McLaughlin has been named Eberly Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy.

McLaughlin, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, studies neutron stars — compact stars born in supernova explosions. Her main project for the last eight years and time at WVU has been spent using the stars for detecting gravitational waves. The work being conducted utilizing the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank telescope is exciting and groundbreaking, McLaughlin said.

“It feels really wonderful to be recognized for the research and teaching I’ve done over the past eight years. I feel very honored,” she said. “Looking at the other faculty members that have received this kind of recognition, you see very accomplished researchers and teachers. I’m humbled to be among that group.”

McLaughlin is the 16th Distinguished Professor at the College. The Eberly Distinguished Professorship continues the Eberly family’s commitment to furthering higher education. To receive the professorship, the appointee must have a distinguished record of scientific achievement, as judged by external experts, as well as a record of excellent teaching. The appointee will be expected to be a leading role model for other faculty members.

“It is a privilege to make faculty appointments like these. These appointments not only reward productive faculty who have given so much to WVU, but they underscore the extraordinary faculty we have in the Eberly College, especially those dedicated to research,” said Rudolph Almasy, interim dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.

In addition to her duties at West Virginia University, McLaughlin also serves as principal investigator on a National Science Foundation: Partnerships for International Research and Education award. This supports an international collaboration – the International Pulsar Timing Array – which uses a network of telescopes across the globe for gravitational wave detection.

Also, along with WVU professor Duncan Lorimer and colleagues at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, she has developed the Pulsar Search Collaboratory, a program which has involved more than 2,000 high-school students in 18 states in research with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope.

She has previously won the Research Corporation Cottrell Scholar Award (2009) and the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship (2008).

-WVU-

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CONTACT: Devon Copeland, Director of Marketing and Communication, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, West Virginia University, 304-293-6867, Devon.Copeland@mail.wvu.edu

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