Janet Akyüz Mattei

Janet Hanula Mattei (née Akyüz; January 2, 1943 – March 22, 2004) was a Turkish-American astronomer who was the director of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) from 1973 to 2004. Born in Bodrum, Turkey, to Turkish Jewish parents, she was educated at the American Collegiate Institute in İzmir. She pursued higher education in the United States at Brandeis University and later worked at the Maria Mitchell Observatory and Leander McCormick Observatory. Mattei earned an M.A. in Astronomy from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. in Astronomy from Ege University. As head of the AAVSO for over 30 years, she played a crucial role in collecting and disseminating observations of variable stars, fostering collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers, and promoting science education. Her work included making the AAVSO database accessible to educators and facilitating access to the Hubble Space Telescope for non-professional astronomers. Mattei received significant recognition for her achievements, including the Centennial Medal of the Société Astronomique de France, the George Van Biesbroeck Prize, the Leslie Peltier Award, the Giovanni Battista Lacchini Award, and the Jackson-Gwilt Medal. Asteroid 11695 Mattei was named in her honor. She passed away in Boston, Massachusetts, in 2004, at the age of 61, due to leukemia.