Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil

Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil is an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College, specializing in galactic evolution and dark matter. Her groundbreaking discovery of a double-ringed elliptical galaxy (nicknamed 'Burçin’s Galaxy') challenges prevailing theories of galaxy formation. She holds a B.Sc. from Bilkent University (Turkey), M.Sc. from Texas Tech University, and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. Prior to Dartmouth, she conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Arizona and served as an NSF/KICP Fellow at the University of Chicago.

Her research focuses on peculiar galaxies, stellar halos, and black hole dynamics using data from premier observatories like Maunakea, Las Campanas, and Cerro Tololo. She actively advocates for diversity in STEM through initiatives like the AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador program and TED Fellowship engagements. Awards include recognition as a 2020 TED Senior Fellow and 2019 AAAS Ambassador.

Mutlu-Pakdil emphasizes overcoming cultural barriers as a first-generation scholar, having faced challenges as a woman in physics and immigrant in the U.S. She co-founded SciAll, an educational media platform, and has been featured in National Geographic, CNN, and TED Talks viewed by over 2.7 million people.