Prof. Dr. Dominik Schwarz is a faculty member at the Faculty of Physics , Bielefeld University. His research focuses on Cosmology and Particle Physics , particularly in the areas of Dark Energy , Dark Matter , Cosmological Inflation , and Large-Scale Structure Formation . He contributes to projects like the International LOFAR Telescope Consortium and the SFB-TRR 211 on strongly interacting matter. APART Fellow of Austrian Academy of Sciences Humboldt Fellow CERN Fellow His recent work explores the cosmic dipole anisotropy , axion density perturbations , and multi-wavelength cosmic web mapping . He also advances data science infrastructure through the PUNCH4NFDI consortium.
Mustafa Amin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University. His research focuses on understanding the origin of cosmic structure and matter, particularly through nonlinear dynamics of cosmological fields, dark matter (axions/vector dark matter), solitons, and early universe phenomena. He holds a PhD from Stanford University (2008) and a BS from the University of Texas at Arlington (2003). Amin has held prestigious fellowships including the Senior Kavli Fellowship at Cambridge and the Pappalardo Fellowship at MIT. Education: BS Physics/Mathematics (UT Arlington, 2003), PhD Physics (Stanford, 2008) Teaching: Cosmology, Quantum Field Theory, General Relativity His research explores topics like dark matter spin probes, Hubble tension, gravitational waves, and exoplanet dynamics. Recent work includes studies on vector wave dark matter, axion string networks, and soliton interactions. Amin has delivered invited talks globally, including at CERN, Perimeter Institute, and MIT. Awards: Rice Teaching Award (2019), Kavli Frontiers Fellow (2016) Labs/Groups: Co-leads the Relativistic Astroparticle Physics & Cosmology Group at Rice
State University of New York at BuffaloUnited States
William H. Kinney is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY), where he has been on faculty since 2003. His research bridges Inflationary Cosmology , Dark Matter , and Dark Energy with experimental data from Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) observations and particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider . He has held visiting positions at institutions including Yale University, Perimeter Institute, and Stockholm University. Education : BA in Physics from Princeton University (1986), PhD in Physics from University of Colorado, Boulder (1996) His research focuses on the physics of the early universe , particularly inflation , which explains the rapid expansion post-Big Bang. He uses data from robotic telescopes mapping billions of light-years and satellite detectors measuring CMB to study quantum fluctuations and their imprints on cosmic structure. Recent publications analyze thermal distortions in the cosmic neutrino background , axion dark matter searches , and constraints from swampland conjectures in string theory. His work spans inflationary dynamics , non-Gaussianity , and trans-Planckian physics . Scientific Awards : SUNY Chancellor's award for excellence in teaching (2014) He is author of the popular science book An Infinity of Worlds (MIT Press) and has contributed to workshops like the Buffalo-Case-Cornell-Syracuse Cosmology Workshop (2010). His collaborations include institutions such as Fermilab, CERN, and the DUNE and LHCb experiments.
Arthur Kosowsky is a Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh, affiliated with the Dietrich School. His research focuses on cosmology, particularly the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, dark matter/dark energy, inflationary universe models, and gravitational waves. He is a key member of the Simons Observatory collaboration, leading efforts to observe the CMB using advanced telescopes in Chile's Atacama Desert. His work addresses fundamental questions about cosmic structure formation, dark energy's nature, and potential deviations from general relativity. Research interests include CMB polarization analysis, detecting primordial gravitational waves, and probing cosmic topology. Notable contributions involve analyzing anomalies in CMB asymmetry and large-scale correlations, simulating gravitational wave backgrounds from early-universe turbulence, and developing methods to study galaxy cluster dynamics. He has mentored numerous graduate students whose thesis topics span CMB lensing, cosmic birefringence, and transient phenomena. Scientific awards include the 2024 Fulbright US Scholar to Chile, APS Fellow (2014), and Cottrell Scholar (2000). His collaborations with the Simons Observatory aim to measure the B-mode polarization signal, neutrino masses, and cosmic magnetic fields through upcoming observations (2024-2025). He also leads efforts to detect transient millimeter-wave sources and study cosmic topology using machine learning techniques. Key projects include analyzing Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) data for cosmological parameters and exploring the moving lens effect. His research bridges theoretical models with observational data, emphasizing precision cosmology and fundamental physics tests. Active in fostering interdisciplinary methods, he advocates for leveraging advanced instrumentation and computational tools to unravel cosmic mysteries.
Nathaniel Starkman is a Brinson Prize Fellow and Astrophysics Postdoc at MIT. He is a key maintainer for open-source projects including @astropy , @GalacticDynamics , and @cosmology-api , with over 2,500 GitHub contributions in the last year. His work focuses on dark matter detection, stellar stream dynamics, and computational astrophysics using JAX and differentiable simulations. Current affiliations: MIT, GalacticDynamics, cosmology-api Former affiliations: Astropy Project, Quax, Potamides Research interests span dark matter substructure mapping via stellar streams, Hamiltonian perturbation theory applications, and JAX-based galactic dynamics tools. He develops unit-aware numerical frameworks (unxt, coordinax) and contributes to astronomical data infrastructure standards. Scientific contributions include: Leading differentiable simulations for galactic potentials Creating data-driven stellar stream characterization methods Advancing type annotations in astropy Awards: Brinson Prize Fellowship (MIT) Contact: starkman@mit.edu | ORCiD
Daan Meerburg is Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen , Faculty of Science and Engineering, embedded in the Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity . He directs the VIDI programme ‘the cosmic laboratory’ and holds leadership roles in the Simons Observatory, CCAT-prime and REACH collaborations. Education PhD (cum laude) in Cosmology, University of Amsterdam, 2011 – advisors Jan Pieter van der Schaar & Ralph Wijers Rubicon Fellow, Princeton University CITA Fellow, University of Toronto Senior Kavli Fellow, University of Cambridge Research Interests Meerburg’s research straddles theoretical and observational cosmology . Core themes include the physics of the cosmic microwave background , primordial non-Gaussianity , inflationary model building , gravitational waves and the epoch of reionisation . Recently he has pioneered the use of artificial intelligence to extract faint cosmological signatures from large data sets, always cross-validated against conservative statistical methods. Recent Publication Trends Over 2022-2025 his output focuses on next-generation CMB experiments (Simons Observatory, CCAT-prime), global 21-cm observations with REACH, and neural-network-assisted inference of primordial non-Gaussianity and reionisation history. The work integrates instrument design, advanced statistical techniques and forefront theory. Honours & Awards Templeton Grant (2012) VIDI Grant, Dutch Research Council (2017) Rubicon Fellowship (Princeton) Kavli Senior Fellowship (Cambridge) CITA Fellowship (Toronto) Grants & Leadership Principal Investigator , VIDI project ‘the cosmic laboratory’ Science Leadership , Simons Observatory & CCAT-prime consortia Instrument Team , REACH 21-cm experiment Labs & Teams Meerburg leads the Cosmic Frontier research group within the Van Swinderen Institute. The team contributes to hardware development, data pipelines and theoretical interpretation for Simons Observatory, CCAT-prime and REACH, fostering close collaboration between cosmologists, instrumentalists and data scientists.
Dr. Kam Arnold is an Associate Professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California, San Diego. His research centers on precision measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), specializing in intensity and polarization observations to probe inflationary cosmology and fundamental physics. He contributes significantly to major CMB projects including the Simons Observatory (SO), Simons Array, and the future CMB-S4 experiment. Instrumental development focuses on next-generation detector and telescope technologies, particularly cryogenic polarization modulators, calibration systems, and superconducting magnetic bearings for millimeter-wave applications. Recent work (2023-2025) emphasizes anisotropic birefringence constraints, polarization modulator engineering, and validation of power spectrum reconstruction methods for SO. He plays key roles in system engineering for CMB-S4 and optical characterization of achromatic half-wave plates.
Gustavo Marques Tavares is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Utah, specializing in Theoretical Particle Physics . His research bridges dark matter phenomenology, cosmological tensions, and experimental signatures of beyond-Standard-Model particles. PhD in Physics from Boston University (2015) Postdoctoral positions at Stanford University and University of Maryland His research focuses on: Interacting dark matter and dark radiation models (e.g., SPartAcous) Axion and dark photon phenomenology (cosmic strings, supernova signals) Probes of dark sectors via colliders, gravitational waves, and multimessenger astronomy CMB spectral distortions and gravitational wave cosmology The 15 most recent publications highlight expertise in dark matter detection , axion cosmology , and cosmological model fitting to address the Hubble and S8 tensions. Notably, his work on vector portals at lepton colliders (2025) demonstrates 1–2 orders of magnitude sensitivity improvement for dark photon models. Scientific awards include: National Science Foundation grant (2024–2027) for dark sector probes He teaches Advanced Electromagnetism and mentors Master’s research projects , emphasizing theoretical and experimental connections in particle cosmology.
Créidhe O'Sullivan is a Professor in the Department of Experimental Physics at Maynooth University, part of the Faculty of Science & Engineering. Their research focuses on cosmology, cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations, and advanced instrumentation for astrophysical measurements. O'Sullivan holds a BSc (1988–1992) and PhD (1992–1995) from the National University of Ireland (NUI). Prior to their current position, they served as a Senior Lecturer at Maynooth University (2006–2024) and held roles in research and academia across Europe. Research interests include CMB polarization studies, terahertz technology, interferometry, and instrumentation design for space and ground-based experiments. Key contributions include the QUBIC (Q&U Bolometric Interferometer for Cosmology) project and contributions to the LiteBIRD satellite mission. Their work emphasizes advancing observational techniques to detect primordial gravitational waves and study cosmological parameters. Recent publications (2022–2024) highlight advancements in bolometric interferometry, cryogenic systems, and spectral analysis of CMB data. O'Sullivan collaborates extensively with international teams, including the QUBIC and LiteBIRD consortia, to design and optimize instruments for next-generation cosmological surveys.
Jens Chluba is a Professor of Cosmology at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (JBCA), University of Manchester. His research focuses on extracting cosmological information from the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) through spectral distortions, anisotropies, and related phenomena. He is a leading expert in cosmological recombination physics, the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, and high-energy processes in the early Universe. Chluba has developed software tools like CosmoRec, CosmoTherm, and SZpack for precise CMB signal computations. His work bridges theoretical astrophysics with observational cosmology, contributing to missions like PIXIE and Simons Observatory. Research Interests CMB Spectral Distortions Cosmological Recombination Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect Atomic Physics in the Early Universe Galaxy Cluster Physics Cosmological Parameter Estimation Recent Contributions Chluba’s recent work includes studies on relativistic SZ effects in galaxy clusters, spinning dust radiation modeling (SpyDust), and the development of the RHINO antenna for 21cm signal detection. His research also addresses cosmological tensions, such as the Hubble constant discrepancy, through novel theoretical frameworks and observational strategies. Supervised Students Chluba has supervised 9 PhD and Master’s theses, including studies on pulsar heating models, hydrodynamic simulations of the Universe, and topological defects in particle physics models.
Matthew Johnson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at York University and an Associate Faculty member at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. His research focuses on theoretical cosmology, including cosmic inflation, eternal inflation, dark energy, and confronting fundamental theories with observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). He explores topics such as topological defects, string theory, and gravitation, with a particular interest in designing data analysis algorithms to interpret cosmological datasets. Johnson's affiliations include York University and the Perimeter Institute. His work spans computational and theoretical approaches to understanding the universe’s origins and evolution. He collaborates widely, contributing to projects like the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and the CMB-HD Collaboration. His research interests emphasize cosmological models, phase transitions in the early universe, and the implications of string theory’s extra dimensions for cosmology. He investigates the Multiverse concept and the dynamics of bubble universes in eternal inflation scenarios. Johnson actively supervises graduate students in the York University Physics and Astronomy program and collaborates with institutions globally. His funding sources include NSERC, the Foundational Questions Institute, and the New Frontiers in Astrophysics and Cosmology grant program.
Daniel Green is Associate Professor of Physics at UC San Diego, researching cosmology's intersection with particle physics and quantum field theory. His work explores inflationary universe models, cosmic microwave background physics, and large-scale structure formation as probes of fundamental physics. Research employs quantum field theory tools to study inflation dynamics, develops analysis methods for CMB data (including delensing techniques), and formulates new cosmic probes for particle physics beyond accelerators. Key contributions include axion search strategies and primordial magnetic field constraints. Recent publications focus on CMB-S4 experiment planning, inflationary consistency conditions, and cosmological signatures of new physics phases. Theoretical frameworks emphasize analyticity, distinguishability of inflation models, and scale-dependent bias in structure formation. Leads theoretical contributions to next-generation CMB experiments and develops formal approaches to cosmological observables within the Green Group at UC San Diego.
Douglas Scott is a Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Faculty of Science. He has been a faculty member at UBC since 1995, following a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley from 1991 to 1995. His research spans theoretical and observational cosmology, with a strong focus on the cosmic microwave background (CMB), structure formation, sub-mm cosmology, and astro-statistics. Education: B.Sc. in Astrophysics, University of Edinburgh (1986) Ph.D., University of Cambridge (1991) Research Interests: Douglas Scott's work lies at the intersection of observational and theoretical cosmology. He is particularly known for his contributions to understanding the CMB and its implications for the early universe, dark matter, dark energy, and galaxy formation. His research includes: Structure formation and evolution of galaxies Cosmic microwave background anisotropies and spectral distortions Sub-millimetre observations of high-redshift galaxies Statistical methods in cosmology Scientific Awards & Recognition: While no specific awards are listed in the provided text, his extensive publication record and involvement in major collaborations like Planck and Herschel indicate significant recognition within the cosmology community. Graduate Supervision & Collaboration: He is actively involved in graduate student supervision and welcomes collaborations and undergraduate research participation. His research group is affiliated with both the Astronomy and Astrophysics and Theoretical Physics groups at UBC. Labs & Teams: He has been involved in experimental collaborations such as SCUBA-2, BLAST, and the Planck and Herschel survey teams. He also maintains a research group site and is part of the Balloon-borne Anisotropy Measurement (BAM) team.
Andrei Linde is a Full Professor in the Department of Physics at Stanford University, specializing in Theoretical Physics, Elementary Particle Physics, and Astrophysics. His groundbreaking contributions to inflationary cosmology include the development of chaotic inflation and eternal inflation theories. His current research explores string theory landscapes, dark energy models, and cosmological attractors, integrating quantum gravity with observational cosmology. He maintains active collaborations through his Humboldt Research Award affiliation. Recent publications focus on modular cosmology, primordial black holes, and gravitational wave signatures from early universe physics.
Matthew Johnson is an Associate Professor at York University and holds an adjunct position at the University of Waterloo. He is a theoretical physicist focused on understanding fundamental laws of nature through cosmological observations and theoretical frameworks. His research spans cosmology, field theory, string theory, and gravitation, with a particular emphasis on analyzing Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data to test theoretical models. He has led roles such as Graduate Program Director in Physics and Astronomy at York University (2020–2023) and has been recognized with prestigious awards like the Buchalter Cosmology Prize. Johnson's work includes designing algorithms for CMB data analysis, exploring extra dimensions in string theory, and investigating cosmological phase transitions. He collaborates extensively on projects like the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and has contributed to studies on axions, dark photons, and vacuum decay simulations. His research also leverages machine learning techniques, such as graph neural networks, to analyze cosmological datasets. Key achievements include the Quantum Simulators for Fundamental Physics Program (2021) and multiple Discovery Grants from NSERC. His seminars and panel discussions highlight his commitment to communicating science and advancing quantum simulations in cosmology.
