Dr. Amber Straughn is an Astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD and is the Communications Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope. She also serves as the Associate Director for the Astrophysics Science Division. Amber grew up in rural Arkansas, where the dark night skies inspired her to become an astronomer. She received her B.S. in Physics from the University of Arkansas, and her Ph.D. in Physics from Arizona State University.  Amber is interested in answering questions about our universe that relate to how galaxies change over time, including how they form their stars and black holes. Amber is an accomplished public speaker and has appeared on CBS 60 Minutes, PBS NOVA, The Discovery Channel, The Science Channel, NatGeo, in a segment on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and in the Netflix documentary Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine.

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In March, MPSF welcomes Dr. Amber Straughn for an inspiring evening exploring the mysteries of our universe and humanity’s place within it. From her work with the James Webb Space Telescope to her passion for sharing science with broad audiences, she brings a unique blend of discovery and storytelling to the stage. As part of the live, in-theater MPSF experience, this conversation will spark curiosity, expand perspectives, and leave audiences in awe of what lies beyond.