Robert Paul Kirshner
born August 15, 1949 Long Branch, NJ
married Lucy Herman 1970
daughter Rebecca
son Matthew
Harvard College B.A. 1970
-- Bowdoin Prize 1970
California Institute of Technology Ph.D. in Astronomy 1975
postdoctoral fellow at Kitt Peak National Observatory 1976
professor, University of Michigan 1977-1985
-- Russel Award 1980
returned to Harvard in 1985
University of Arizona Aaronson Lecture 1989
Harvard University, Clowes Professor of Science, and master of Quincy House
Caltech Distinguished Alumnus
author of more than 200 research papers dealing with supernovae, the large-scale distributions of galaxies, and the size and shape of the universe
The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos Princeton University Press 2002
in 1998 Science Magazine called his work on the acceleration of the universe the "Science Breakthrough of the Year."
member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Sciences 1998
President of the American Astronomical Society 2003.
"As an undergraduate I concentrated in astronomy and lived in Quincy House. Now I am an astronomy professor and I'm living in Quincy House again! I have a better room, I'm allowed to have a pet, and I give the exams instead of taking them."
Robert Kirshner interviewed by Dorian Devins of the National Academy of Science
illustrated lecture "Taking Measure of the Universe: How Big? How Old? How Do We Know?"
slideshow "An Accelerating Universe?"
slideshow "Measuring Omega with Type Ia Supernovae"
dedication speech of Gemini North Observatory