Saul Perlmutter

Biography

Abstract

Saul Perlmutter is Senior Scientist and Group Leader at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (1999-present). Other institutional affiliations include University of California, Berkeley. His research interests include astrophysics and cosmology. He won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics with Brian P. Schmidt and Adam G. Riess.

Important Dates

1959Birth, Champaign (Ill.).

1981Obtained AB in Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1983 – 1988Research Assistant in Astrophysics (1983-1986) and Postdoctoral Researcher (1987-1988), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley (Calif.).

1986Obtained PhD in Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley (Calif.).

1987 – 1993Postdoctoral Research, Space Sciences Laboratory (1987-1988) and Staff Scientist, Center for Particle Astrophysics (1989-1993), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley (Calif.).

1994 – presentStaff Scientist and Group Leader (1994-1999) and Senior Scientist and Group Leader (1999-2016), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley (Calif.).

2001Fellow, American Physical Society.

2002Member, National Academy of Sciences.

2002 – 2016Senior Fellow, Space Sciences Laboratory (2002-present) and Professor of Physics (2004-present), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley (Calif.).

2003Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

2007Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

2011Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics with Brian P. Schmidt and Adam G. Riess "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae".

Occupation

Astrophysicist.

Places

Birth

Champaign (Ill.)

Undergraduate Education

Cambridge (Mass.)

Graduate Education

Berkeley (Calif.)

Employment

Berkeley (Calif.)

Subjects

Astrophysics.

Cosmology.

Supernovae.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Muller, R. (Richard)

PhD advisor at University of California, Berkeley, "An Astronomic Search for a Stellar Companion to the Sun."

Riess, Adam, 1969-

Shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics along with Brian Schmidt "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae."

Schmidt, Brian, 1967-

Shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics along with Adam Riess "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae."

Colleagues

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chamberlain, O. (Owen)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chew, Geoffrey F.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chu, Steven

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Clarke, John, 1942-

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and University of California, Berkeley.

Cohen, Marvin L.

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and University of California, Berkeley.

Commins, Eugene D.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Davis, J. C. Séamus

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Diamond, R. M.

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Drell, Persis S.

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

Falcone, Roger W.

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California, Berkeley.

Falicov, L. M. (Leopoldo Maximo), 1933-1995

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Freedman, Stuart J.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Gaillard, Mary K.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Glaser, D. A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Goldhaber, Gerson

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Grunder, Hermann

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

Hahn, E. L. (Erwin Louis), 1921-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Helmholz, August Carl, 1915-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jacak, Barbara

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

Jackson, John David, 1925-2016

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jeffries, C. D., 1922-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Kahn, Steven Michael

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Kittel, Charles

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Lee, Yuan Tseh, 1936-

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

Louie, Steven G., 1949-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Lyneis, Claude, 1943-

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Mandelstam, Stanley

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

McKee, Christopher, 1942-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Nygren, David R.

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Oddone, Piermaria J.

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Poskanzer, A. M. (Arthur M.), 1931-

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Price, Paul Buford

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Randall, Lisa

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Reynolds, John Hamilton, 1923-2000

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Rosenfeld, Arthur H., 1926-

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

Segrè, Emilio

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Sessler, A. M. (Andrew Marienhoff)

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Shank, C. V. (Charles V.)

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Shen, Y. R.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Shirley, David Arthur, 1934-

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Smith, Neville, 1942-2006

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Smoot, George

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Steiner, Herbert M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Stephens, F. S. (Frank Samuel)

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Stubbs, Christopher

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Tinkham, Michael

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Trilling, George H.

Both employed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and University of California, Berkeley.

Zumino, B. (Bruno), 1923-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Additional

Cahn, Robert N.

Kirshner, Robert P., 1949-

Institutions

Major Positions

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

Research Assistant in Astrophysics; Postdoctoral Researcher; and Staff Scientist and Group Leader.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Staff Scientist and Group Leader and Senior Scientist and Group Leader.

University of California, Berkeley. Department of Astronomy

Staff Scientist, Center for Particle Astrophysics.

University of California, Berkeley. Department of Physics

Obtained PhD (1986). Professor of Physics.

University of California, Berkeley. Space Sciences Laboratory

Postdoctoral Researcher and Senior Fellow.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Member.

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Fellow.

American Physical Society

Fellow.

Harvard University. Department of Physics

Obtained AB (1981).

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Papers appearing in The Astronomical Journal and The Astrophysical Journal presenting research ultimately recognized by the awarding of the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics, 2011 December 1.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Robert Kirshner materials on cosmic acceleration, 2007.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

American Institute of Physics Physics Today division Bertram Schwarzschild Nobel Prize files, 1954-2013.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Robert Cahn, 2007 August.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA