Thomas Kupfer

Prof. Dr. Thomas Kupfer is a Professor of Stellar Astrophysics at the Hamburg Observatory, part of the Department of Physics in the MIN Faculty at the University of Hamburg. He leads a research group focused on compact binary systems and gravitational wave sources relevant to the LISA mission.

• University: University of Hamburg
• School: MIN Faculty
• Department: Department of Physics
• Position: Professor of Stellar Astrophysics
• Email: thomas.kupfer@uni-hamburg.de

His research centers on the late stages of stellar evolution, particularly ultracompact binaries such as AM CVn systems, white dwarfs, and hot subdwarfs. He is deeply involved in time-domain astronomy through his leadership in the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), where he served as calibration scientist, communication coordinator, and lead of the Galactic Plane science working group. He currently leads a high-cadence survey of the inner Galactic Plane using ZTF data.

Prof. Kupfer is an active contributor to the LISA Consortium, having chaired the Early Career Scientist Working Group and currently leading the Galactic binaries effort in the Multi-messenger Working Group. His work bridges observational astronomy, data quality assurance, and future space-based gravitational wave detection.

He has supervised multiple PhD students including Sumari Barocci-Faul, Corey Bradshaw, Eric Stringer, and Weitian Yu, and leads a team of postdoctoral researchers. His academic career includes an Assistant Professorship at Texas Tech University and postdoctoral positions at Caltech and the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (UCSB).