Edwin A. Bergin

Edwin A. Bergin is Professor of Astrophysics and Chair of the Department of Astronomy at the University of Michigan, within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He is a leading researcher in the fields of star and planet formation, interstellar chemistry, and astrobiology.

His educational background includes a BS from Villanova University and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts. He previously worked as an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics before joining the University of Michigan.

Bergin’s research focuses on the molecular origins of life, particularly the chemistry of water and organic molecules in space. He uses observational and theoretical methods to study how these molecules form and evolve from interstellar clouds to planetary systems. His work has significantly advanced our understanding of how Earth acquired its water and carbon, with implications for the potential habitability of exoplanets.

His recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on protoplanetary disk chemistry, molecular detection using facilities like ALMA and Herschel, and the interplay between stellar radiation and disk chemistry. Themes include water vapor in habitable zones, carbon processing, and the chemical evolution of planet-forming regions.

• U-M Henry Russel Award for exceptional scholarship and teaching

Bergin has advised several graduate students, including Jeffrey Fogel and Nathan Crockett. He has led major research initiatives such as HEXOS and utilizes advanced observational tools like ALMA and SOFIA. He teaches a range of courses from introductory astronomy to graduate-level astrophysics of the interstellar medium.

He is affiliated with the Michigan Institute for Research in Astrophysics and conducts research through observational campaigns, theoretical modeling, and interdisciplinary collaboration with geochemists to understand planetary composition and evolution.