Stephen Smartt

Professor Stephen Smartt is a leading astrophysicist at Queen's University Belfast, affiliated with the School of Mathematics and Physics and the Astrophysics Research Centre (ARC). He specializes in astrophysical transients, supernovae, and sky surveys, with notable contributions to gravitational wave follow-up and neutron star merger studies. His research includes discovering super-luminous supernovae and leading the PESSTO survey. He is a Royal Irish Academy member and recipient of the Royal Astronomical Society’s George Darwin Lectureship (2018).

Smartt’s academic roles include Professor and UK project scientist for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). His expertise spans transient astronomy, stellar explosions, and multi-messenger astrophysics. He has pioneered methods for detecting low-luminosity transients and contributed to understanding supernova progenitors and explosion mechanisms.

Key achievements include identifying the source of gravitational waves from neutron star mergers in 2017 and leading international collaborations like PESSTO. His work bridges observational astronomy with theoretical models, advancing our understanding of cosmic explosions and stellar evolution.