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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 October 13, 2025
Intersecting Perspectives
Published September 26, 2025
Duke Alumna Selected To Be in the 24th NASA Astronaut Class
Published September 2, 2025
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Launches SPACE Initiative

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Recent Publications


OpenUniverse2024: A shared, simulated view of the sky for the next generation of cosmological surveys

Journal Article Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · October 23, 2025 AbstractThe OpenUniverse2024 simulation suite is a cross-collaboration effort to produce matched simulated imaging for multiple surveys as they would observe a common simulated sky. Both the simulated dat ... Full text Cite

The Perfect Host: JWST Cepheid Observations in a Background-free Type Ia Supernova Host Confirm No Bias in Hubble-constant Measurements

Journal Article Astrophysical Journal Letters · October 20, 2025 Cycle 1 JWST observations of Cepheids in Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) hosts resolved their red-giant-dominated near-infrared backgrounds, sharply reducing crowding and showing that photometric bias in lower-resolution Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data does no ... Full text Cite

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 · August 1, 2025 Recent 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 underestimated SN Ia systematics might be driving these res ... 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

Research in High Energy Physics at Duke University

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Energy · 2013 - 2028

Big Data and the Biggest Tension in Cosmology

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

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Education, Training & Certifications


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