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Daniel M. Scolnic

Associate Professor of Physics
Physics
120 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27710
120 Science Drive, Box 90305, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


Use observational tools to measure the expansion history of the universe.  Trying to answer big questions like 'what is dark energy?'.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor of Physics · 2023 - Present Physics, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering · 2025 - Present Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering

In the News


Published January 27, 2025
The Universe is Expanding More Quickly Than We Thought
Published June 20, 2024
Duke Cosmic Explorers Are Mapping Space’s Invisible Secrets
Published November 16, 2023
Which Duke Scholars Made the Most Cited List?

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Recent Publications


Comparing the DES-SN5YR and Pantheon+ SN cosmology analyses: Investigation based on ‘Evolving Dark Energy or Supernovae systematics’?

Journal Article Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · July 7, 2025 AbstractRecent cosmological analyses measuring distances of Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) have all given similar hints at time-evolving dark energy. To examine whether un ... Full text Cite

Calibrating the absolute magnitude of type Ia supernovae in nearby galaxies using [O ii] and implications for H0

Journal Article Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · April 1, 2025 The present state of cosmology is facing a crisis where there is a fundamental disagreement in measurements of the Hubble constant (), with significant tension between the early and late Universe methods. Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are important to measur ... Full text Cite

Reduction of the type Ia supernova host galaxy step in the outer regions of galaxies

Journal Article Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · March 1, 2025 Using 1533 type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the 5-yr sample of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), we investigate the relationship between the projected galactocentric separation of the SNe and their host galaxies and their light curves and standardization. We s ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


A Roman Project Infrastructure Team to Support Cosmological Measurements with Type Ia Supernovae

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2023 - 2028

Big Data and the Biggest Tension in Cosmology

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by David & Lucile Packard Foundation · 2019 - 2027

SN cosmology with the next generation of experiments

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2023 - 2026

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Education, Training & Certifications


Johns Hopkins University · 2013 Ph.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology · 2007 B.S.

External Links


Duke Cosmology Group