# Stefi Baum

Stefi Baum (born December 11, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American astronomer. The American Astronomical Society honored her work by awarding her the Annie J. Cannon Prize in 1993. Baum helped to develop the Hubble Space Telescope and, starting in 2004, was the director of Rochester Institute of Technology’s Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science.

## Early life

Baum was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 11, 1958. She is the daughter of mathematician Leonard Baum. She attended Princeton Public High School in Princeton, New Jersey, and graduated in 1976. Baum received her Bachelor of Arts in physics from Harvard University and graduated with distinction, and a PhD in astronomy from the University of Maryland. She is currently the dean of the Faculty of Science and professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Manitoba.

## Career

Baum is the dean of the faculty of science at the University of Manitoba and is a professor of physics and astronomy. Prior to this, Baum was the Cashin Fellowship at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study from September 2011 to July 2012. In 2002 Baum became the Senior Science/Diplomacy Fellow at the US Department of State and the American Institute of Physics Diplomacy Fellow program, leaving the position in 2004. Baum served as division head for engineering and software services at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) from 1999 to 2002. During her period there she also held the position of deputy, science and engineering support division in 1999. From 1996 to 1998, Baum was the Branch Chief, Spectrographs Team, STScI. From 1991 to 1995 Baum, was an archive scientist at STScI. In 1990 to 1991 Baum had a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. From 1987 to 1990, Baum conducted research in astronomy at the Netherlands' Foundation for Research in Astronomy, Dwingeloo, NL. As of November 2023, she is a member of the International Astronomical Union.

## Awards

Baum has won many awards throughout her career, including:
* 1993: Annie Jump Cannon Award awarded annually to a young female astronomer for Scientific Excellence and Promise
* 1993: Space Telescope Science Institute Group Achievement Award, Archive Development/Deployment
* 1993: Space Telescope Science Institute Individual Achievement Award, Archive Development/Deployment
* 1996: Space Telescope Science Institute Group Achievement Award, Data Quality Project
* 1996: Space Telescope Science Institute Individual Achievement Award, Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph
* 1996: Space Telescope Science Institute Group Achievement Award, Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph Team
* 1999: NASA Excellence Award, Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 3A
* 1999: Rolex Achievement Award- given annually to one female and one male college lacrosse player for career achievements supporting society.
* 2002: Space Telescope Science Institute Individual Achievement Award, for Management and Leadership
* 2002/2003: American Institute of Physics - US State Department Fellowship
* 2005: Rochester Institute of Technology Million Dollar Club- for securing more than 1 Million dollars in external grants and contracts
* 2020: Elected a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society