Charles L. Bennett
Encyclopedia
Charles L. Bennett is an American observational astrophysicist and the Alumni Centennial Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University
. He is the Principal Investigator of NASA's
highly successful Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)
. Prior to 2005, Bennett was a Senior Scientist for Experimental Cosmology, Goddard Senior Fellow, and Infrared Astrophysics Branch Head at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
.
Bennett was at the Carnegie Institution of Washington's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism during the summers from 1976 to 1978.
His National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
membership citation states, "As leader of the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) mission, Bennett has helped quantify, with unprecedented precision and accuracy, many key properties of the universe, including its age, the dark and baryonic matter content, the cosmological constant, and the Hubble constant." Membership is a great honor bestowed upon the most distinguished scholars in engineering and the sciences.
He was awarded the National Academy of Sciences Henry Draper Medal
in 2005 and the Comstock Prize in Physics
in 2009 , both for his leadership of WMAP. Bennett received the Harvey Prize
http://www.admin.technion.ac.il/harvey in 2006 for, "the precise determination of the age, composition and curvature of the universe." Bennett shared the 2010 Shaw Prize
in astronomy with Lyman A. Page,Jr.
and David N. Spergel
, both of Princeton University, for their work on WMAP.
Bennett is a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science
and the American Physical Society
. In 2002, ISI named him the most Highly Cited Researcher in space science worldwide. He is an author of the top two "Super Hot Papers in Science" published since 2003.http://www.in-cites.com/hotpapers/shp/1-50.html In 2004, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
.
Before leading WMAP, Bennett was the Deputy Principal Investigator for the Differential Microwave Radiometers (DMR) instrument on the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) mission that discovered the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation. The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Science Team also precisely measured the spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation.
1984 Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. He is the Principal Investigator of NASA's
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
highly successful Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)
Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe — also known as the Microwave Anisotropy Probe , and Explorer 80 — is a spacecraft which measures differences in the temperature of the Big Bang's remnant radiant heat — the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation — across the full sky. Headed by Professor...
. Prior to 2005, Bennett was a Senior Scientist for Experimental Cosmology, Goddard Senior Fellow, and Infrared Astrophysics Branch Head at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
.
Bennett was at the Carnegie Institution of Washington's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism during the summers from 1976 to 1978.
His National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
membership citation states, "As leader of the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) mission, Bennett has helped quantify, with unprecedented precision and accuracy, many key properties of the universe, including its age, the dark and baryonic matter content, the cosmological constant, and the Hubble constant." Membership is a great honor bestowed upon the most distinguished scholars in engineering and the sciences.
He was awarded the National Academy of Sciences Henry Draper Medal
Henry Draper Medal
The Henry Draper Medal is awarded by the United States National Academy of Sciences "for investigations in astronomical physics". Named after Henry Draper, the medal is awarded with a gift of USD $15,000...
in 2005 and the Comstock Prize in Physics
Comstock Prize in Physics
The Comstock Prize in Physics is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "for recent innovative discovery or investigation in electricity, magnetism, or radiant energy, broadly interpreted."...
in 2009 , both for his leadership of WMAP. Bennett received the Harvey Prize
Harvey Prize
The Harvey Prize is awarded by the Technion in Haifa, Israel. It is awarded in different disciplines of Science, Technology, Human Health, and Contributions to Peace in the Middle East. Two awards - each of $75,000 - are given away annually...
http://www.admin.technion.ac.il/harvey in 2006 for, "the precise determination of the age, composition and curvature of the universe." Bennett shared the 2010 Shaw Prize
Shaw Prize
The Shaw Prize is an annual award first presented by the Shaw Prize Foundation in 2004. Established in 2002 in Hong Kong, it honours living "individuals, regardless of race, nationality and religious belief, who have achieved significant breakthrough in academic and scientific research or...
in astronomy with Lyman A. Page,Jr.
Lyman Page
Lyman Page is the Henry DeWolf Smyth Professor of Physics at Princeton University. He is an expert in observational cosmology and one of the original co-investigators for the WMAP probe that, over the past years, has made the most precise observations yet of the cosmic background radiation, an...
and David N. Spergel
David Spergel
David Nathaniel Spergel , is an American theoretical astrophysicist and Princeton University professor known for his work on the WMAP mission. Professor Spergel is a MacArthur Fellow. He has served as the chair of the Astrophysics Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council and was once the W.M...
, both of Princeton University, for their work on WMAP.
Bennett is a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
and the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
. In 2002, ISI named him the most Highly Cited Researcher in space science worldwide. He is an author of the top two "Super Hot Papers in Science" published since 2003.http://www.in-cites.com/hotpapers/shp/1-50.html In 2004, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
.
Before leading WMAP, Bennett was the Deputy Principal Investigator for the Differential Microwave Radiometers (DMR) instrument on the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) mission that discovered the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation. The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Science Team also precisely measured the spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation.
Awards
Bennett's awards include:- 2010 Shaw PrizeShaw PrizeThe Shaw Prize is an annual award first presented by the Shaw Prize Foundation in 2004. Established in 2002 in Hong Kong, it honours living "individuals, regardless of race, nationality and religious belief, who have achieved significant breakthrough in academic and scientific research or...
in Astronomy - 2009 Comstock Prize in Physics of the National Academy of Sciences
- 2006 The Harvey PrizeHarvey PrizeThe Harvey Prize is awarded by the Technion in Haifa, Israel. It is awarded in different disciplines of Science, Technology, Human Health, and Contributions to Peace in the Middle East. Two awards - each of $75,000 - are given away annually...
of the Technion - 2006 Gruber Cosmology Prize (awarded to John Mather and the COBE Team for "ground-breaking studies confirming that our universe was born in a hot Big Bang.")http://www.petergruberfoundation.org/cosmologynews.htmhttp://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2006/gruber_award.html
- 2005 Draper Medal of the National Academy of Sciences
- 2005 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (Mid-Career Stellar Award)
- 2004 NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award (for WMAP)
- 2003 NASA Outstanding Leadership Award (for WMAP)
- 2003 John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for Space Science
- 2001 Popular Science “Best of What’s New” Award in Aviation and Space for WMAP
- 1992 NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal (for COBE)
Education
1978 B.S. degree in Physics and Astronomy cum laude with High Honors in Astronomy from the University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
1984 Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...