Edmund Bertschinger

Edmund Bertschinger is a Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with a faculty affiliation in the MIT Program in Women’s and Gender Studies. He is based in the Department of Physics at the Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. His career at MIT spans decades, during which he has held leadership roles including Head of the Department of Physics (2007–2013) and MIT’s inaugural Institute Community and Equity Officer (2013–2018).

• PhD in Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 1984
• BS in Physics, California Institute of Technology, 1979

His research spans theoretical astrophysics, focusing on cosmology, gravitation, and numerical methods, and extends into equity and inclusion in STEM, where he investigates effective practices for cultural change in academic departments. He is passionate about physics education and mentoring, particularly for underrepresented groups. His teaching includes foundational physics courses and interdisciplinary classes such as WGS.160: Science Activism: Gender, Race, and Power.

The 15 most recent publications reflect a dual focus: (1) advanced theoretical and computational cosmology, including dark matter halos, perturbation theory, and N-body simulations; and (2) methodological innovations in modeling gravitational systems. Key themes include self-similar collapse, modified gravity, and cosmological initial conditions. His work bridges high-performance computing with deep physical insight into structure formation.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Alan J. Lazarus ‘53 Excellence in First Year Advising Award, MIT (2025)
• Everett Moore Baker Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2021)
• Excellence in Physics Education Award, APS (2022)
• Guggenheim Fellowship (2007)
• American Physical Society Fellow (1996)
• Helen B. Warner Prize, AAS (1992)
• Sloan Research Fellowship (1988)

Bertschinger actively mentors undergraduate researchers in equity and inclusion projects and leads initiatives like the APS-IDEA Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance. He developed the 8.02 Online Mentoring Program to support struggling students, enhancing self-efficacy and STEM identity. He has not sought graduate students recently but continues to advise undergraduates. He has led major curriculum and cultural reform efforts at MIT and through national collaborations.

He is affiliated with the Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research and leads research projects on departmental excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion. His software contributions include COSMICS and Grafic-2, widely used in cosmological simulations.