Brian Schmidt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brian Schmidt
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Schmidt at the 2012 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
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| 12th Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University | |
| In office 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2023 |
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| Chancellor | Gareth Evans Julie Bishop |
| Preceded by | Ian Young |
| Succeeded by | Genevieve Bell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Brian Schmidt
24 February 1967 Missoula, Montana, United States |
| Citizenship | |
| Nationality | American Australian |
| Alma mater | University of Arizona (1989), Harvard University (1993) |
| Spouse(s) | Jennifer M. Gordon |
| Awards | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astrophysics |
| Institutions | Australian National University |
| Thesis | Type II supernovae, expanding photospheres, and the extragalactic distance scale (1993) |
| Doctoral advisor | Robert Kirshner |
| Doctoral students | Manisha Caleb |
Brian Paul Schmidt (born 24 February 1967) is an American-Australian astrophysicist. An astrophysicist is a scientist who studies space, stars, and galaxies. He works at the Australian National University's Mount Stromlo Observatory.
From January 2016 to January 2024, he was the Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU). He is famous for his work using exploding stars called supernovae to study the universe. He shared the 2006 Shaw Prize in Astronomy and the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics with Saul Perlmutter and Adam Riess. They won for showing that the universe's expansion is actually speeding up, not slowing down.
Contents
Brian Schmidt's Early Life and School
Schmidt was born in Missoula, Montana, in the United States. His father was a biologist who studied fish. When Brian was 13, his family moved to Anchorage, Alaska.
High School and College Choices
Schmidt went to Bartlett High School in Anchorage and finished in 1985. He once wanted to be a meteorologist, someone who studies weather. But he found that job less exciting than he thought.
He decided to study astronomy just before starting university. He thought he might change his mind later, but he never did!
University Studies
In 1989, he earned two bachelor's degrees from the University of Arizona. One was in Physics and the other in Astronomy. He then went to Harvard University, where he earned his Master's degree in Astronomy in 1992. He completed his PhD in Astronomy in 1993.
His PhD research focused on using a type of supernova to measure how fast the universe is expanding. While at Harvard, he met Jennifer M. Gordon, who became his wife. She was studying economics. In 1994, they moved to Australia.
Discovering the Accelerating Universe
After his PhD, Schmidt worked as a researcher at the Center for Astrophysics from 1993 to 1994. In 1995, he moved to Australia to work at the ANU's Mount Stromlo Observatory.
The High-Z Supernova Search Team
In 1994, Schmidt and Nicholas B. Suntzeff started a group called the High-Z Supernova Search Team. Their goal was to measure how much the universe's expansion was slowing down. They used special exploding stars called Type Ia supernovae to do this.
In 1995, Schmidt was chosen to lead this team. From Australia, he guided their work.
A Surprising Discovery
In 1998, the team published their findings. They showed the first evidence that the universe's expansion was not slowing down; it was speeding up! This was a huge surprise. Scientists had thought the universe's expansion would be slowing down.
When Schmidt first saw the results, he thought it was a mistake. He spent six weeks trying to find an error, but there was none. The exploding stars they observed were actually moving away from us faster and faster.
Dark Energy and Nobel Prize
Another team, the Supernova Cosmology Project, led by Saul Perlmutter, found the same surprising result around the same time. Both teams' discoveries led to the idea of the accelerating universe. This also led to new research about something called "dark energy," which is thought to be causing the universe to speed up.
The discovery of the accelerating universe was called the "Breakthrough of the Year" by Science magazine in 1998. For their amazing work, Schmidt, Riess, and Perlmutter shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Brian Schmidt's Other Work
Schmidt is currently leading the SkyMapper telescope project. This project is mapping billions of objects in the southern sky. This helps scientists find very unusual stars and galaxies. In 2014, his team found the first star that had no iron in it. This means it was a very old, simple star, likely formed right after the Big Bang.
He also helps lead other astronomy groups and advises on science education.
Leading the Australian National University
On 24 June 2015, it was announced that Brian Schmidt would become the 12th Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University. He started this role on 1 January 2016 and finished at the end of 2023.
The university's Chancellor, Professor Gareth Evans, said that Schmidt was the perfect person to help the ANU become one of the world's greatest universities. He praised Schmidt's vision, energy, and communication skills.
Speaking Up for Science
Winning the Nobel Prize gave Schmidt a chance to talk about why science is important. He uses his platform to support science education and research.
- Helping Schools: After winning the Nobel Prize, he gave $100,000 to a program that helps primary school teachers with science. He believes more teachers need training in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). He visits schools to answer children's questions about science.
- Funding Research: Schmidt strongly supports long-term funding for science and medical research. He worries that without steady funding, Australia might fall behind in science.
- Climate Change: He encourages people to listen to what experts say about climate change. He believes people should trust scientific agreement rather than incomplete information. In 2015, he helped present a declaration on climate change signed by 76 Nobel Laureates. This was part of the successful COP21 climate summit.
Awards and Recognitions
Schmidt has received many awards for his scientific work:
- Malcolm McIntosh Prize (2000)
- Harvard University's Bok Prize (2000)
- Australian Academy of Science's Pawsey Medal (2001)
- Astronomical Society of India's Vainu Bappu Medal (2002)
- Shaw Prize in Astronomy (2006), shared with Adam Riess and Saul Perlmutter.
- Australian Laureate Fellowship (2009)
In 2007, Schmidt and the High-Z Team shared the Gruber Cosmology Prize. This award was for their discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe.
In 2011, he, Riess, and Perlmutter won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for this same discovery.
Schmidt was also made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2013. This is a high honor in Australia. He is a member of important science groups like the Australian Academy of Science and the Royal Society.
In 2015, Schmidt, Adam Riess, and the High-Z Supernova Search Team shared the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
Brian Schmidt's Personal Life
Schmidt is married to Jennifer Gordon. They met while studying at Harvard. They decided to live in Australia, where he now has dual citizenship (Australia and the United States).
He has said he is not religious, describing himself as a "militant agnostic." This means he believes we don't know if there's a God, and no one else does either.
Vineyard and Winery
Schmidt and his wife own a small winery called Maipenrai Vineyard and Winery. They started it in 2000 near Canberra, Australia. The vineyard grows only pinot noir grapes, and their wines have received good reviews. Schmidt jokes that it's easier to sell wine when you have a Nobel Prize! In 2011, he even gave a bottle of his wine to the King of Sweden at the Nobel Prize ceremony.
In 2013, Schmidt joined the board of the Australian Wine Research Institute.
Images for kids
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Schmidt at the 2012 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
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Saul Perlmutter, Adam Riess, and Brian Schmidt receiving the 2006 Shaw Prize in Astronomy.
See also
In Spanish: Brian Schmidt para niños
