News: Faculty

“Quantum sound” will aid the searches for both nuclear weapons and dark matter

UChicago astrophysicists’ physics-based models suggest dark energy may be evolving

Since 1994, the Cottrell Scholar program has honored and helped to develop outstanding teacher-scholars who are recognized by their scientific communities for the quality and innovation of their research programs and their potential for academic leadership.

Professors Paolo Privitera (Astronomy & Astrophysics and KICP) and Andrew Cleland (PME) have received a 2025-2027 DARPA award to develop novel qubit-based detectors of low-energy neutrinos.  The UChicago-led consortium supported by the QuSeN (Quantum Sensing of Neutrinos) program includes Northwestern University, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of California San Diego and Fermilab.

UChicago scientists probe the nature of mysterious ‘hidden-sector’ dark matter in DAMIC-M experiment

Webb telescope helps scientists narrow down the search for “Earth twin” planets

Study measuring magnetic field near the center of the Milky Way helps to decode the precise astrophysical dynamics at the heart of our galaxy

Priscilla Diane Chapman Frisch, a University of Chicago Research Professor in Astronomy and Astrophysics and a world-leading scientist on the heliosphere and the local interstellar medium, died on April 2 at her home in Hyde Park. She was 81.

Study of the cosmic microwave background adds new depth to our understanding of universe

Named for a renowned University of Chicago professor who shaped minds with his sense of duty and dedication to students, the Norman Maclean Faculty Award recognizes those who do the same.

As part of the 2025 Alumni Awards program, Prof. Emeritus Donald G. York, PhD’71, will receive the Norman Maclean Faculty Award honoring his extraordinary contributions to teaching and student life at the University of Chicago.

For a keen mind, the right mentor can make a world of difference. This may be especially true for students at the University of Chicago as they immerse in discovery. The relationships students build with their mentors support them as they connect with research opportunities, explore their passions and test their mettle against tough problems and enduring questions.

UChicago analysis of new and old data suggests the signal is weak and explainable by other molecules

A segment filmed by UChicago Creative, featuring Prof. Mike Gladders' and his students' travel to Chile to do research on the Magellan Telescope, has won a gold Telly award. The Telly Awards are awards that recognize excellence in video and television across all screens since 1979. The gold award is the highest honor in the category.

The search for life beyond Earth is no longer science fiction—it takes a lot of data, powerful telescopes and a bit of cosmic detective work. And at the center of this search is University of Chicago astrophysicist Jacob Bean. Bean was part of the team that made history by detecting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a distant planet using the James Webb Space Telescope—a major step forward in our ability to study exoplanets.

Professor Wendy Freedman named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2025