Maria Mitchell Subject of New Choral Work, “The Ways of Stars”

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • March 7, 2022

During her years at Vassar College, one of Maria’s classes created a song about her set to the music of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Another class, commissioned a bust of their beloved professor – it still stands in the niche at the Vassar College Observatory and the MMA has a bronze copy that was donated to us. Maria was secretly a bit pleased by both, though she was not pleased with posing for a bust that required her having to be measured. 


People continue to be inspired by her and to find ways to commemorate her life and work. Over the last year or so, the Maria Mitchell Association has been speaking with the Atlanta Master Chorale  as they put together their performance “The Ways of Stars” by composer Jake Runstead. 


The Atlanta Master Chorale is an over forty-year-old chorale group that has received numerous accolades over the years. Before the COVID-19 Pandemic took hold of the country and the world, the group performed a choral piece by Runstead concerning the fears faced by Beethoven as he approached the loss of his hearing. The Chorale was inspired by this work and commissioned Runstead for its own piece. Runstead chose to look at Maria Mitchell and her life and work. This particular piece focuses on her eclipse viewing trip to Burlington, Iowa in 1869. She travelled out West with several of her students to observe, creating quite a stir as the only all-female group and also for the simple fact they were a group of women travelling cross country. She would publish an account of the eclipse in the October 1869 edition of “Hours at Home” and this is what inspired Runstead.


The world premiere of the piece will be performed at Emory University March 11 and 12 and there is a virtual offering. The Chorale will also be presenting several discussion panels which will include women in STEM and also Runstead discussing his work and how he was inspired by Maria Mitchell.


JNLF


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Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association’s National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Interns Present Summer Astronomy Research Projects

August 1, 2025
NANTUCKET, MA— Please join us in person at the Maria Mitchell Association’s Research Center, 2 Vestal Street, or online via Zoom, on Wednesday, August 6, 5pm – 7pm, for a very special presentation of this summer’s astronomy research. The MMA’s National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) 2025 interns will present their research on everything from glowing supernovae and mysterious variable stars to ways dust affects the light we see. The MMA’s Maria Mitchell Observatory operates the NSF-REU program each summer and has done so for decades. The program, funded by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation, allows the MMA to bring six top undergraduate students to the MMA each summer who are selected out of a pool of over 250 applicants from around the United States. The NSF-REU interns come to Nantucket for ten to twelve weeks during the summer to participate in astrophysics research projects. While on Nantucket, the NSF-REU interns also participate in the outreach efforts of the Astronomy Department, primarily by hosting public Open Nights at the Loines Observatory. This summer’s five NSF-REU interns and their research presentations are: Madison Gerard (University of Texas at Austin): How Low Can You Glow? Analyzing the Low-Luminosity SN IIP 2024abfl Kaylee Perez (Texas State University): How Dust Changes the Light We See: Exploring the Link Between Dust Extinction and Attenuation with Simulated Data Lauren Barkey (California Poly Pomona): Peek-a-Boo!: Exploring the NEOWISE Lightcurves of R Coronae Borealis Variable Stars Aiden Agostinelli (University of Montana) & Ben Radmore (University of Michigan): When the Dust Settles: Late-Time Infrared Imaging of SN 2011ja This event is free to the public. This presentation is offered both in person and online via Zoom. Pre-registration is required. Register for in person here : https://112458a.blackbaudhosting.com/112458a/Science-Speaker-Series---MMA-x-NSF-REU-Interns-A Register for Zoom here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_U5mGYBdESzKI8z_HX835eA The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA), founded in 1902, is a recognized leader in inspiring and training the next generation of astronomers and scientists. Since the Astronomy Department’s inception, hundreds of undergraduate students, the great majority of them women, have discovered the joy of doing astronomical research surrounded by the natural beauty and dark skies of Nantucket Island. Many have gone on to successful careers as astronomers at leading universities, observatories, and other organizations. In fact, it is estimated that one of every twenty American women PhDs in astronomy today acquired their first research experience at the MMA’s Maria Mitchell Observatory. The organization’s success in STEM education was recognized in 2009 with the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring from President Obama for its half-century long program of mentoring student research in astronomy. Over the years, several MMA NSF-REU interns have won the prestigious Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award, including in each of the past five American Astronomical Society winter meetings, a testament to the quality of the MMA’s astronomy internship program. Approximately 90% of MMA astronomy interns have gone on to astrophysics Ph.D. programs. The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. ###
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