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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 Pierre R. Lamond Department of 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


The Dark Energy Survey Supernova Program: A Reanalysis Of Cosmology Results And Evidence For Evolving Dark Energy With An Updated Type Ia Supernova Calibration

Journal Article Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · April 14, 2026 AbstractWe present improved cosmological constraints from a re-analysis of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) 5-year sample of Type Ia supernovae (DES-SN5YR). This re-analysis includes an improved photometric c ... Full text Cite

Measuring the Distances to Asteroids from One Observatory in One Night with Upcoming All-sky Telescopes

Journal Article The Planetary Science Journal · April 1, 2026 Abstract Upcoming telescopes like the Vera Rubin Observatory and the Argus Array will image large fractions of the sky multiple times per night, yielding numerous near-Earth object (NE ... Full text Cite

Initial Characterization of Stellar Photometry of Roman Images from the OpenUniverse Simulations

Journal Article Astronomical Journal · March 2, 2026 NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (Roman) will provide an opportunity to study dark energy with unprecedented precision and accuracy using several techniques, including measurements of high-z Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia; z ≲ 3.0) via the High-Latitud ... 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


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