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UNAM Confirms Death of Julieta Fierro, Trailblazing Mexican Astronomer and Science Communicator, at 77

National tributes underscore a legacy that took astronomy from academia to the public through books, broadcasts, museums, classrooms.

Overview

  • UNAM announced on September 19 that Julieta Norma Fierro Gossman died at 77, noting her role as an investigator at its Institute of Astronomy.
  • A longtime professor in UNAM’s Faculty of Sciences, she specialized in interstellar matter and the Solar System.
  • She published more than 40 books for general audiences, appeared on radio and television, developed interactive exhibitions, and directed the Universum science museum.
  • Her honors included UNESCO’s Kalinga Prize, the “Ing. Mario Molina” science medal, four honorary doctorates, and honorary membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
  • President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed condolences on X, and family accounts reported she was not terminally ill and died “writing and without pain.”