Ben R. Oppenheimer
Encyclopedia
Ben R. Oppenheimer is an American
astrophysicist and one of three curators in the Department of Astrophysics
at the American Museum of Natural History
on Manhattan
's Upper West Side
. Oppenheimer holds an adjunct professorship at Columbia University
's Department of Astronomy
and has published over one hundred research and public-oriented science articles. He is co-discoverer of the first brown dwarf
, Gliese 229
B, and is active in research on exoplanets, white dwarfs, adaptive optics
and coronagraphy. Oppenheimer serves on NASA, NSF
and NRC
committees.
in the Bronx. After graduating in 1990, he attended Columbia University
, where he was an I. I. Rabi Science Scholar. He received a BA in Physics
from Columbia in 1994. In 1999 he was awarded a Ph. D. in astrophysics
from the California Institute of Technology
and spent the following two years at the University of California
at Berkeley
on a Hubble Space Telescope
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. In 2001 he moved back to New York City
to conduct research at the American Museum of Natural History
. Oppenheimer regularly gives public and professional lectures on astronomical research.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
astrophysicist and one of three curators in the Department of Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
at the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
on Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
. Oppenheimer holds an adjunct professorship at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
's Department of Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and has published over one hundred research and public-oriented science articles. He is co-discoverer of the first brown dwarf
Brown dwarf
Brown dwarfs are sub-stellar objects which are too low in mass to sustain hydrogen-1 fusion reactions in their cores, which is characteristic of stars on the main sequence. Brown dwarfs have fully convective surfaces and interiors, with no chemical differentiation by depth...
, Gliese 229
Gliese 229
Gliese 229 is a red dwarf star about 19 light years away in the constellation Lepus. It has 58% of the mass of the Sun, 69% of the Sun's radius, and a very low projected rotation velocity of 1 km/s at the stellar equator.The star is known to be a low activity flare star, which means it...
B, and is active in research on exoplanets, white dwarfs, adaptive optics
Adaptive optics
Adaptive optics is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effect of wavefront distortions. It is used in astronomical telescopes and laser communication systems to remove the effects of atmospheric distortion, and in retinal imaging systems to reduce the...
and coronagraphy. Oppenheimer serves on NASA, NSF
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
and NRC
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
committees.
Background
Oppenheimer attended the Horace Mann SchoolHorace Mann School
Horace Mann School is an independent college preparatory school in New York City, New York, United States founded in 1887 known for its rigorous course of studies. Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League, educating students from all across the New York tri-state area from...
in the Bronx. After graduating in 1990, he attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where he was an I. I. Rabi Science Scholar. He received a BA in Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from Columbia in 1994. In 1999 he was awarded a Ph. D. in astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
from the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
and spent the following two years at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
on a Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. In 2001 he moved back to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to conduct research at the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
. Oppenheimer regularly gives public and professional lectures on astronomical research.