Robert Kirshner

Robert Kirshner is an American astrophysicist renowned for his pioneering work in observational cosmology and the study of stellar explosions. He is a leading figure in the use of Type Ia supernovae as standard candles to measure the expansion history of the universe, research that contributed to the discovery of the accelerating expansion driven by dark energy. A longtime professor at Harvard University and former chief program officer for science at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, he has mentored a generation of astronomers and played key roles in major collaborations like the High-z Supernova Search Team.

Early life and education

Born in New York City, Kirshner developed an early interest in science. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Harvard College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in astronomy in 1970. For his doctoral work, he moved to the California Institute of Technology, where he was advised by prominent astronomer Wallace Sargent. His PhD thesis, completed in 1975, focused on the remnants of supernovae and their interaction with the interstellar medium, laying the groundwork for his future research.

Career and research

Kirshner began his academic career as a professor at the University of Michigan before returning to Harvard University in 1985, where he served as the Clowes Professor of Science. His research group at Harvard became a world leader in supernova studies. He was a central member of the High-z Supernova Search Team, an international collaboration that in the late 1990s independently confirmed, alongside the rival Supernova Cosmology Project, the accelerating expansion of the universe. This groundbreaking finding, which implied the existence of dark energy, was recognized with the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to team leaders Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt, and Adam Riess; Kirshner was a key mentor to Schmidt and Riess. He later contributed to the Supernova Legacy Survey using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. Beyond research, he served as the head of the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics from 1990 to 1993 and as president of the American Astronomical Society from 2004 to 2006. From 2015 to 2021, he was the chief program officer for science at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Honors and awards

Kirshner's contributions to astrophysics have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards. He received the Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics in 2011 from the American Institute of Physics and the American Astronomical Society. In 2014, he was awarded the James Craig Watson Medal by the National Academy of Sciences for his contributions to astronomy. A pinnacle of recognition came in 2015 when he was a co-recipient of the Wolf Prize in Physics, shared with James Bjorken, for his leadership in the discovery of the universe's accelerating expansion. He is a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Personal life

Kirshner is married to astrophysicist Jaylee Mead, who worked at the Goddard Space Flight Center. He is known as an engaging lecturer and science communicator, having authored the popular science book "The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos." He has also been a dedicated mentor, guiding many students and postdoctoral researchers who have become leaders in the field of cosmology.

Selected publications

* Kirshner, R. P. (1999). "Supernovae, an accelerating universe and the cosmological constant." *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*. * Kirshner, R. P. (2002). *The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos*. Princeton University Press. * Kirshner, R. P., Oemler, A., Schechter, P. L., & Shectman, S. A. (1981). "A million cubic megaparsec void in Bootes?" *The Astrophysical Journal*. * Riess, A. G., **et al.** (1998). "Observational evidence from supernovae for an accelerating universe and a cosmological constant." *The Astronomical Journal*. (Kirshner was a collaborating author). * Schmidt, B. P., **et al.** (1998). "The High-Z Supernova Search: Measuring cosmic deceleration and global curvature of the universe using type Ia supernovae." *The Astrophysical Journal*. (Kirshner was a collaborating author).

Category:American astrophysicists Category:Harvard University faculty Category:Wolf Prize in Physics laureates