Space physicist Patricia Reiff ’74 has spent decades bringing the wonder of space down to Earth. As the southwest regional coordinator for the 2024 Citizen CATE project, she trained student and teacher teams across Texas and Arkansas to collect never-before-seen data during the total solar eclipse — turning a fleeting moment of awe into lasting scientific impact.
She also developed the Discovery Dome, a portable planetarium now used in more than 45 countries, and created award-winning digital planetarium shows seen by over a million museum visitors. Her “Space Update” software and real-time space weather alerts and aurora-viewing predictions have inspired countless students, teachers and skywatchers.
At Rice, Reiff created and leads the Master of Science Teaching program and serves as associate director for outreach in the Rice Space Institute, where she connects cutting-edge science with classrooms across the country.
From eclipse paths to planetarium domes, her legacy is written in the wonder she’s sparked across generations.
