Sandra Faber, University Professor and chair of astronomy and astrophysics, and Lynda Rogers, dean of UC Santa Cruz Extension in Silicon Valley, have been named to the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal's 2011 list of "Women of Influence." Each year, the Business Journal honors 100 Silicon Valley women for their leadership and contributions to the community.
Faber is a renowned astronomer and cosmologist whose work has had enormous influence on our understanding of the universe. She is also a popular teacher, gives public talks on astronomy throughout the country, and has appeared in numerous documentaries and public television programs. An expert on the formation of galaxies and the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present, she has also been a leader in the development of new telescopes and astronomical instruments. Faber currently leads an international collaboration (the AEGIS Survey) involving nearly 100 scientists from 16 institutions in Europe, North America, and Asia. She also participates in a UCSC summer program that gives high school students the opportunity to do research in campus labs.
Rogers was named dean of UCSC Extension in September 2010 after serving as assistant vice provost for UCSC Extension and Academic Affairs since 2007. She was formerly the assistant vice provost of Silicon Valley Initiatives and executive director of the UC Online Academy. Prior to joining UC, Rogers was a science educator, serving as the science and technology director for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. A UCSC alumna (Crown, 1988), Rogers is well known for her work with science and technology fairs and was on the board of directors for the International Science and Engineering Fair. She was one of the framers of the California K-12 science framework and a consultant for the California Department of Education. Rogers is currently a member of the San Jose Rotary Club and a member of the board of directors for the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce and Mission City Community Fund.
All "Women of Influence" honorees will be profiled in the March 18, 2011, issue of the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal and honored at an awards dinner on April 14, 2011.
