David Spergel
Encyclopedia
David Nathaniel Spergel is an American
theoretical astrophysicist and Princeton University
professor (currently chair of the Department of Astrophysical Sciences) known for his work on the WMAP mission. Professor Spergel is a MacArthur Fellow
. He has served as the chair of the Astrophysics Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council and was once the W.M. Keck distinguished visiting professor at the Institute for Advanced Study
in Princeton, New Jersey
. Not only has he focused on deciphering the data that the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) beams back from space, he was part of the team that dreamed up the mission and designed the satellite that would carry it out. Spergel is the Charles A Young Professor of Astronomy and a member of the National Academy of Sciences
. He
shared the 2010 Shaw Prize
in astronomy with Charles L. Bennett
and Lyman A. Page,Jr.
for their work on WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe).
, New York
, and attended John Glenn High School
, Huntington, NY. He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Astronomy (summa cum laude) from Princeton University in 1982, and was a visiting scholar at Oxford University in 1983. He obtained his master's degree (Astronomy) at Harvard University, 1984, and his doctorate (Astronomy), Harvard University, 1985, with a thesis entitled Astrophysical Implications of Weakly-Interacting Massive Particles.
, including the shape of the planet earth
which he regards as a sphere. Over the last few years, the WMAP Satellite has been the main focus of his research. His WMAP papers are currently the #1 and #2 most cited new papers in all of physics and space science. WMAP was successfully launched on June 30, 2001. He is also interested in understanding how galaxies form and evolve. Spergel's thesis work was on dark matter and he has recently returned to this field, exploring the possibility that the dark matter has strong self-interactions. Dr. Spergel is among a group of scientists and engineers at Princeton University who are developing new technologies attempting to enable the direct imaging of earth-like planets around nearby stars.
, Arlie Petters
, and Joseph Hennawi.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
theoretical astrophysicist and Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
professor (currently chair of the Department of Astrophysical Sciences) known for his work on the WMAP mission. Professor Spergel is a MacArthur Fellow
MacArthur Fellows Program
The MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T...
. He has served as the chair of the Astrophysics Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council and was once the W.M. Keck distinguished visiting professor at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
in Princeton, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Not only has he focused on deciphering the data that the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) beams back from space, he was part of the team that dreamed up the mission and designed the satellite that would carry it out. Spergel is the Charles A Young Professor of Astronomy and a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. He
shared the 2010 Shaw Prize
Shaw Prize
The Shaw Prize is an annual award first presented by the Shaw Prize Foundation in 2004. Established in 2002 in Hong Kong, it honours living "individuals, regardless of race, nationality and religious belief, who have achieved significant breakthrough in academic and scientific research or...
in astronomy with Charles L. Bennett
Charles L. Bennett
Charles L. Bennett is an American observational astrophysicist and the Alumni Centennial Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University. He is the Principal Investigator of NASA's highly successful Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe...
and Lyman A. Page,Jr.
Lyman Page
Lyman Page is the Henry DeWolf Smyth Professor of Physics at Princeton University. He is an expert in observational cosmology and one of the original co-investigators for the WMAP probe that, over the past years, has made the most precise observations yet of the cosmic background radiation, an...
for their work on WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe).
Education
Spergel was born in RochesterRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and attended John Glenn High School
John Glenn High School (Huntington, New York)
John Glenn High School is a high school located in East Northport, New York of about 800 students and 100 faculty serving residents of the Elwood School District.- History :...
, Huntington, NY. He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Astronomy (summa cum laude) from Princeton University in 1982, and was a visiting scholar at Oxford University in 1983. He obtained his master's degree (Astronomy) at Harvard University, 1984, and his doctorate (Astronomy), Harvard University, 1985, with a thesis entitled Astrophysical Implications of Weakly-Interacting Massive Particles.
Research
His interests range from the search for planets around nearby stars to the shape of the universeUniverse
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
, including the shape of the planet earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
which he regards as a sphere. Over the last few years, the WMAP Satellite has been the main focus of his research. His WMAP papers are currently the #1 and #2 most cited new papers in all of physics and space science. WMAP was successfully launched on June 30, 2001. He is also interested in understanding how galaxies form and evolve. Spergel's thesis work was on dark matter and he has recently returned to this field, exploring the possibility that the dark matter has strong self-interactions. Dr. Spergel is among a group of scientists and engineers at Princeton University who are developing new technologies attempting to enable the direct imaging of earth-like planets around nearby stars.
Students
Spergel's thesis students include Julianne DalcantonJulianne Dalcanton
Julianne Dalcanton is an American astronomer.She is Associate Professor of Astronomy, University of Washington, and researcher for Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Her main work is on the area of galaxy formation and evolution...
, Arlie Petters
Arlie Petters
Arlie Oswald Petters, MBE isa Belizean American mathematical physicist, who is the Benjamin Powell Professor andProfessor of Mathematics, Physics, and Business Administration at Duke University....
, and Joseph Hennawi.