Smadar Naoz
Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles
Research Focus
About Smadar
I am an associate professor at the Department of Physics & Astronomy, UCLA in the Division of Astronomy and Astrophysics. I am also Howard and Astrid Preston Term Chair in Astrophysics. I am interested in a broad range of topics in theoretical astrophysics with an emphasis on dynamical research problems from cosmology to black holes, Gravitational-wave sources, stars, and extrasolar planets.
Before joining UCLA I was an Einstein Fellow at the ITC – Harvard-Smithsonian CfA. Prior to that, I was an IAU Gruber postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University, CIERA. I did my Ph.D. studies in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, at the Tel Aviv University. My Ph.D. advisor was Rennan Barkana. I graduated from the Racah institute at The Hebrew University. My Master advisor was Nir Shaviv.
Honors
Sept. 2012 - Einstein Fellowship, awarded by NASA
Sept. 2011 - ITC-Harvard prize Fellowship awarded by Harvard University – Smithsonian CfA and the Institute for Theory and Computation (ITC)
Sept. 2010 – Aug. 2011 - The Gruber Foundation Fellowship, awarded by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the Gruber Foundation
Sept. 2009 - Dan David Prize Scholarship, awarded by the Dan David Foundation
June 2017 - Hellman Fellows Award, awarded by Hellman Fellows Program, aimed to support the research of promising Assistant Professors who show capacity for great distinction in their research
2020 - Helen B. Warner Prize, awarded by the American Astronomical Society
2019 - Career Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award, given by UCLA Academic Senate
2015 - Annie Jump Cannon Prize awarded by the American Astronomical Society
2015 - Sloan Research Fellowships awarded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
2014 - The pH Lecture for the Observatory’s outstanding young scientists awarded by the Hertelendy family of California and the CfA
2009 – 2011 - The National Postdoctoral Award Program for Advancing Women in Science, awarded by Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
2008 - John Bahcall Graduate Student Prize, awarded by Tel Aviv University
2007 - Ilan Ramon Award, awarded by Commercial & industrial club house, Israel
Education
Postdoc
Institute for Theory and Computation, ITC Fellow/Einstein Fellow, Harvard Smithsonian CfA, 2014
CIERA, Northwestern University, 2011
Ph.D.
Physics and Astronomy, 2010
Master's
Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2004
Bachelor's
Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2002
