ANNA FREBEL, PhD
Professor of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Division Head, Astrophysics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Professor Frebel is an observational astronomer and astrophysicist. She received her PhD from the Australian National University’s Mt. Stromlo Observatory in 2007, and did postdoctoral work as a WJ McDonald Fellow in Austin, TX (2006-2008) and as Clay Fellow at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), in Cambridge, MA (2009-2012).
Professor Frebel has received numerous honors and awards including the 2010 Annie Jump Cannon Award (American Astronomical Society), a 2013 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, and in 2016 she was named one of ScienceNews Magazine’s “Ten Scientists to Watch”. She was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2018 and to full Professor in 2022.
Professor Frebel has authored more than 165 papers in various refereed journals, including Nature. She also enjoys communicating science to the public through regular public lectures, magazine articles, interviews as well as her popular science book “Searching For The Oldest Stars: Ancient Relics from the Early Universe” (Princeton University Press). She also teaches Leadership and Professional Strategies to grad students, postdocs and faculty at MIT to empower their in their career journey.
