Robert Kirshner

Richmond CA 94807

The author of the book *The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos*, Robert Kirshner has also written more than 200 research papers about supernovaes, the large-scale distribution of galaxies, and the size and shape of the universe. After postdoctoral work at Kitt Peak National Observatory and a stint at the University of Michigan, Kirshner joined the faculty at Harvard University, where he is the Clowes Professor of Science, and served as chairman of the astronomy department for seven years. He was also associate director for optical and infrared astronomy at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics from 1997 to 2003. Kirshner is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and is currently serving as president of the American Astronomical Society.