Erika Hamden (@erikahamden) is an astrophysicist at the University of Arizona and Steward Observatory and leads the team building FIREBall, a telescope that hangs from a giant balloon at the very edge of space and looks for clues about how stars are created. She’s a 2019 TED fellow and her research focuses on developing ultraviolet (UV) detector technology, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV/VIS) instrumentation and spectroscopy, and galaxy evolution.

To listen to the entire episode, visit: https://disruptors.fm/124-how-astrophysicists-understand-our-origins-and-search-for-alien-life-while-building-a-better-world-for-all-of-us-erika-hamden/