John E. Carlstrom

John E. Carlstrom is the Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar Distinguished Service Professor and Chair of the Departments of Astronomy & Astrophysics and Physics at the University of Chicago. He leads the South Pole Telescope (SPT) project and co-chairs the CMB-S4 collaboration, focusing on observational cosmology and the cosmic microwave background (CMB). His work bridges the University of Chicago with Argonne National Laboratory, the Enrico Fermi Institute, and the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics.

Education:

• PhD, University of California, Berkeley (1988)
• AB, Vassar College

Carlstrom’s research centers on using the CMB to study the universe’s origin and evolution, including inflation, dark energy, and neutrino masses. His team employs advanced instruments like the SPTpol and SPT-3G cameras to map CMB polarization and detect galaxy clusters via the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect. Recent projects include the Event Horizon Telescope’s black hole imaging and NSF-funded CMB-S4 development.

Scientific Awards:

• MacArthur Fellowship (1998)
• Gruber Prize in Cosmology (2015)
• Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics (2019)
• Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics (2024)
• Arthur L. Kelly Faculty Prize (2024)
• Elected to AAAS (2000) and NAS (2002)

He directs the SPT Group, which collaborates with Argonne National Laboratory on superconducting detector fabrication. His work has shaped major initiatives like the Dark Energy Survey and the Giant Magellan Telescope, influencing the Astro2020 decadal survey. Carlstrom mentors graduate students in physics and astrophysics, advancing precision cosmology through cutting-edge instrumentation.