Keivan G. Stassun

Keivan Stassun is Stevenson chair in Physics & Astronomy at Vanderbilt University. Stassun is a co-investigator for NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite mission, chairs the executive committee of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and recently served on the National Academy of Science’s Decadal Steering Committee for Astronomy & Astrophysics. His research on stars and exoplanets has appeared in more than 500 peer-reviewed journal articles, with an emphasis on developing new data-driven methods for making precise measurements of the fundamental physical properties of stars and planets. Stassun is a leader and advocate for broadening participation in STEM, especially of underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities. He currently serves as founding director of the Frist Center for Autism & Innovation in Vanderbilt’s School of Engineering, focused on advancing science and engineering through the engagement and workforce development of autistic individuals and those with other forms of neurodiversity. He previously served as founding director of the Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program; on NSF’s Committee for Equal Opportunity in Science and Engineering; and chaired the American Astronomical Society’s Committee on Minorities. He is a recipient of the American Physical Society’s Nicholson Medal for Human Outreach and a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. In 2023, Stassun was appointed to a six-year term on the National Science Board by President Joseph R. Biden. He is an elected Fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Astronomical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He earned a Ph.D. in Astronomy from University of Wisconsin, Madison. In 2024 he became a MacArthur Fellow.