Before Marcia Rieke embarked on a path that would lead her to help launch an entirely new field of scientific discovery – infrared astronomy – she hit the gym on a daily basis, chasing passes and scoring baskets. 

"Before I had my career in astronomy, I played basketball in college, and that experience shaped me in lasting ways," said Rieke, a Regents Professor in the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory. "Being part of a team taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of showing up every day prepared to do your best. Those lessons stayed with me as I moved into science and research."

Recognizing her accomplishments both in unraveling mysteries of the deep cosmos and excelling on the court as an undergraduate student, Rieke was named the U of A's Faculty of the Year award honoree by the Big 12 Conference on Feb. 9.

Rieke's most visible achievement is her role as principal investigator on NIRCam, a key instrument aboard the James Webb Space Telescope. Since the telescope began scientific operations, NIRCam has both reinforced and challenged our understanding of the early universe, delivering stunning images and groundbreaking data that have captivated scientists and the public alike.

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Galaxy Slam, a weeklong initiative that leverages the national stage of championship athletics to spotlight the university's world-leading space science and research enterprise, brings Wildcats together on the court, in the classroom and beyond the stars from Feb. 14-21. Events include a range of community activities and on-campus events.

Rieke will be honored at the upcoming Galaxy Slam Basketball Game on Feb. 18, where she will be recognized for her contributions to astronomical research and education. Her work has made a lasting impact on our understanding of the universe, pushing the boundaries of what we know about the cosmos.

Since joining the U of A in 1976, Rieke has made seminal contributions to infrared astronomy that have shaped the field for nearly five decades. Her work spans astronomical research, instrument development, and service to the astronomical community through public policy and outreach – achievements that have earned her international recognition and now, this prestigious honor from the Big 12 Conference.

To Rieke, the connection between sports and research is an obvious one.

"When people say I'm a principal investigator, what that really means is that I lead a team," she said. "In that role, I have to be like the coach, I have to figure out which team member is best for which job – it's very much like the athletic enterprise."

Scientific discovery, much like athletics, is a team effort, according to Rieke, as building instruments, conducting research and making discoveries require collaboration, persistence and trust among many people over long periods of time.

Rieke's work has focused on understanding the universe through infrared astronomy and on developing instruments that allow us what was previously invisible. Her team designed the Near Infrared Camera, or NIRCam, on the James Webb Space Telescope, and built parts of it on campus.

Leading the charge in designing the NIRCam instrument from the ground up reflects decades of collaboration involving scientists, engineers, students and partners around the world, she added. 

"Leveraging our longstanding experience in infrared astronomy, we succeeded with our proposal to build NIRCam," Rieke said. "We had good ideas that helped us win over competing proposals."

Universities like the U of A make this work possible by supporting long-term discovery and by engaging students directly in research, Rieke added, noting that mentoring and working alongside students has been one of the most meaningful parts of her career.

"The U of A has always been very supportive, and the fact that I've been here for 50 years is a clue that this university has been a fantastic place to pursue research," she said.  

Now in its second year, the Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award recognizes outstanding faculty members who have excelled in areas of innovation and research at Big 12 institutions. The award encompasses all 16 Big 12 members and celebrates educators who represent the best attributes that make college campuses bastions for learning and growth.

Faculty members are nominated by their institutions in conjunction with Big 12 faculty athletics representatives, provosts and other university leaders, ensuring that the recipients represent the highest caliber of academic excellence across diverse disciplines.

Rieke said her passion for basketball has stuck with her throughout her career, and she tries to catch a game whenever her schedule allows. 

"Galaxy Slam brings my research area – finding the farthest galaxies in the universe – together with my sports love – basketball," she said.