Edmund Bertschinger

Department of Physics

MIT, McNair 37-627

77 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02139 USA

+1 (617) 324-7319 (office)

email: edbert (at) mit.edu

Physics@MIT Website

Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research

Program in Women's and Gender Studies

Professor of Physics,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Note to students: I seek undergraduate research students currently at MIT with a strong interest in equity, diversity, and inclusion, for research projects in social science. Currently I am not seeking summer interns or graduate students.

Current projects (Summer, 2020)

General Information

Research Interests: My research group's mission is to develop and apply analytical, computational, and statistical methods to improve our understanding of the physical universe.

Theoretical astrophysics: gravitation, cosmology, chaotic dynamics

Teaching Interests: My teaching mission is to inspire and prepare students and researchers for lifelong learning about the physical world.

Classical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, relativity, cosmology, astrophysics

Equity and Inclusion Interests: My passion lies in shifting the culture of STEM fields to be inclusive and equitable for everyone. I was MIT's inaugural Institute Community and Equity Officer. For more information, see my DEI Writing and Speaking.

Teaching Schedule

Fall, 2023: WGS.160 Science Activism: Gender, Race, and Power and Teaching and Mentoring MIT Students

Spring, 2023: Physics Mentor Program and Teaching and Mentoring MIT Students

Fall, 2022: WGS.160 Science Activism: Gender, Race, and Power and Teaching and Mentoring MIT Students

Spring, 2022: Physics Mentor Program

Fall, 2021: WGS.160 Science Activism: Gender, Race, and Power and Physics Mentor Program

Spring, 2021: Physics Mentor Program

Fall, 2020: WGS.160 Science Activism: Gender, Race, and Power and Physics Mentor Program

Spring, 2020: 8.02 Electricity and Magnetism and Physics Mentor Program

Fall, 2019: 8.01 Mechanics and WGS.160 Science Activism: Gender, Race, and Power

Fall, 2018 through Spring, 2019: Sabbatical

Spring, 2009: Exploring Black Holes

Spring, 2008 through Spring, 2018: Teaching release for administrative duties

Fall, 2007: Sabbatical

Spring, 2007: Exploring Black Holes

Fall, 2006: The Cosmic Microwave Background and Astrophysics Seminar

Spring, 2006: General Relativity

Fall, 2005: Electromagnetism II

Spring, 2005: Exploring Black Holes and Astrophysics Seminar

Fall, 2004: Electromagnetism II and Astrophysics Seminar

Spring, 2004: General Relativity and Astrophysics Seminar

Fall, 2003: Electromagnetism II

Spring, 2003: Exploring Black Holes and Astrophysics Seminar

Fall, 2002: Relativity and Astronomical Instrumentation

Spring, 2002: General Relativity

Fall, 2001: Exploring Black Holes and Cosmology

Fall, 2000 through Spring, 2001: Sabbatical

Spring, 2000: General Relativity

Fall, 1999: Cosmology

Spring, 1999: General Relativity

Fall, 1998: Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity

Spring, 1998: Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

Summers 1998-2009: RSI student supervision

Education

PhD Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 1984

BS Physics, California Institute of Technology, 1979

Positions Held

Affiliated Faculty, MIT Program in Women's and Gender Studies, 2018-

Institute Community and Equity Officer, 2013-2018

Head, MIT Department of Physics, 2007-2013

Astrophysics Division Head, MIT, 2002-2007

Professor of Physics, MIT, 1996-present

Associate Professor of Physics, MIT, 1991-1996

Assistant Professor of Physics, MIT, 1986-1991

Miller Research Fellow, UC Berkeley, 1985-1986

Research Associate, University of Virginia, 1983-1985
For more information, see my cv.

Software: Grafic-2 and COSMICS (includes Grafic-1) (gzipped tar files)
General relativity notes
Publications (for most up-to-date listing, see my cv)
Where are my PhD students now?

Birth

1958, Oakland, California

Personal interests

Music of all kinds, birdwatching, cooking, wine