Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein: Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Core Faculty Member in Women’s Studies

Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy and a Core Faculty Member in Women’s Studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her research focuses on theoretical work at the intersection of particle physics, cosmology, and astrophysics.

In 2021, Dr. Prescod-Weinstein was the recipient of the American Physical Society Edward A. Bouchet Award, with the citation: “For contributions to theoretical cosmology and particle physics, ranging from axion physics to models of inflation to alternative models of dark energy, for tireless efforts in increasing inclusivity in physics, and for co-creating the Particles for Justice movement.”

Also in 2021, Essence Magazine recognized Dr. Prescod-Weinstein as one of 15 Black Women Who Are Paving the Way in STEM and Breaking Barriers. As a theorist of Black feminist science studies, she launched the Cite Black Women+ in Physics and Astronomy Bibliography. In 2017, she received the LGBT+ Physicists Acknowledgement of Excellence Award “For Years of Dedicated Effort in Changing Physics Culture to be More Inclusive and Understanding Toward All Marginalized Peoples.”

Dr. Prescod-Weinstein was born in El Sereno in East Los Angeles, California. She earned a Bachelors in Physics, Astronomy, and Astrophysics from Harvard College and a Masters in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2010, she completed her doctoral dissertation at the University of Waterloo (Canada), titled “Cosmic acceleration as Quantum Gravity Phenomenology.”