Robert Kirshner
Encyclopedia
Robert Kirshner is the Clowes Professor of Science in the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics at Harvard University
. Kirshner has worked in several areas of astronomy
including the physics of supernova
e, supernova remnant
s, the Large-scale structure of the cosmos, and the use of Supernova
e to measure the expansion of the universe.
In 1981, along with, Augustus Oemler, Jr., Paul Schechter
, and Stephen Shectman, Kirshner discovered the Boötes void
in a survey of galactic redshifts.
Kirshner was a member of the High-z Supernova Search Team
that used observations of extragalactic supernovae to discover the accelerating universe
. This universal acceleration implies the existence of dark energy
and was named the top science breakthrough of 1998 by Science magazine.
For this work he was jointly awarded the Gruber Cosmology Prize
in 2007.
He is the author of The Extravagant Universe : Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (2002; ISBN 978-0-691-05862-7) and has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences
since 1998. He was the President of the American Astronomical Society
from 2004-2006.
He received his A.B. magna cum laude in Astronomy
from Harvard College
in 1970, and his Ph.D.
, also in Astronomy
, from Caltech. Prior to joining Harvard in 1985, he worked at Kitt Peak National Observatory
and taught at the University of Michigan
for 9 years.
He was the co-Master of Quincy House
, one of Harvard's 12 undergraduate houses, along with his wife, Jayne Loader
, before resigning in August 2007.
He is also the father of Rebecca Rand Kirshner
.
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Kirshner has worked in several areas of astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
including the physics of supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
e, supernova remnant
Supernova remnant
A supernova remnant is the structure resulting from the explosion of a star in a supernova. The supernova remnant is bounded by an expanding shock wave, and consists of ejected material expanding from the explosion, and the interstellar material it sweeps up and shocks along the way.There are two...
s, the Large-scale structure of the cosmos, and the use of Supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
e to measure the expansion of the universe.
In 1981, along with, Augustus Oemler, Jr., Paul Schechter
Paul L. Schechter
Paul L. Schechter is an astrophysicist and observational cosmologist. He is the William A. M. Burden Professor of Astrophysics at MIT.Schechter received his bachelor's degree from Cornell in 1968, and his Ph.D. degree from Caltech in 1975...
, and Stephen Shectman, Kirshner discovered the Boötes void
Boötes void
The Boötes void or the Great Void is a huge and approximately spherically shaped region of space, containing very few galaxies. It is located in the vicinity of the constellation Boötes, hence its name...
in a survey of galactic redshifts.
Kirshner was a member of the High-z Supernova Search Team
High-z Supernova Search Team
The High-z Supernova Search Team was an international cosmology collaboration which used Type Ia Supernovae to chart the expansion of the Universe. The team was formed in 1994 by Brian P. Schmidt, then a post-doctoral research associate at Harvard University, and Nicholas B. Suntzeff, a staff...
that used observations of extragalactic supernovae to discover the accelerating universe
Accelerating universe
The accelerating universe is the observation that the universe appears to be expanding at an increasing rate, which in formal terms means that the cosmic scale factor a has a positive second derivative, implying that the velocity at which a given galaxy is receding from us should be continually...
. This universal acceleration implies the existence of dark energy
Dark energy
In physical cosmology, astronomy and celestial mechanics, dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and tends to accelerate the expansion of the universe. Dark energy is the most accepted theory to explain recent observations that the universe appears to be expanding...
and was named the top science breakthrough of 1998 by Science magazine.
For this work he was jointly awarded the Gruber Cosmology Prize
Gruber Prize in Cosmology
The Gruber Prize in Cosmology is one of five international awards made by The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation, an American non-profit organization based in the U.S. Virgin Islands with offices in New York City...
in 2007.
He is the author of The Extravagant Universe : Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (2002; ISBN 978-0-691-05862-7) and has been 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...
since 1998. He was the President of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
from 2004-2006.
He received his A.B. magna cum laude in Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1970, and his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, also in Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, from Caltech. Prior to joining Harvard in 1985, he worked at Kitt Peak National Observatory
Kitt Peak National Observatory
The Kitt Peak National Observatory is a United States astronomical observatory located on 2,096 m Kitt Peak of the Quinlan Mountains in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert on the Tohono O'odham Nation, southwest of Tucson...
and taught at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
for 9 years.
He was the co-Master of Quincy House
Quincy House
Quincy House may refer to:* Quincy House , a residential house at Harvard* Quincy House , graduate house in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC* Quincy House , the U.S. ambassador's residence in Riyadh...
, one of Harvard's 12 undergraduate houses, along with his wife, Jayne Loader
Jayne Loader
Jayne Loader is an American director and writer. She co-directed The Atomic Cafe with Pierce Rafferty and Kevin Rafferty. She is the author of Between Pictures , a novel, and Wild America , a collection of short stories. In 1995, Jayne created the CD-ROM and Website Public Shelter...
, before resigning in August 2007.
He is also the father of Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Rebecca Sinclair is a writer and producer for American television. Currently, she is the showrunner for the television series 90210. She served as co-executive producer on the CW series Gilmore Girls and as a writer on Freaks and Geeks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Las Vegas. She lives in Los...
.