Maoz Dan

Dan Maoz is a prominent Israeli astrophysicist, born on November 4, 1960, known for his fundamental contributions to observational astrophysics, particularly in the study of supernovae, black holes, and planetary formation. He is currently a full professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy at Tel Aviv University, where he holds the George S. Wise Chair in Physics and Astronomy.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in Physics in 1985 and his PhD in 1990 from Tel Aviv University, Maoz continued his training as a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton from 1990 to 1993. Upon returning to Israel, he embarked on a distinguished academic career, holding key positions such as Director of the Wise Observatory (1998–2000, 2012–present), Chair of the Department of Astrophysics (2008–2012), and Head of the School of Physics and Astronomy (2015–2019).

His research spans from the chemical evolution of the Milky Way to the physics of supernovae, from the study of supermassive black holes in galactic centers to the observation of exoplanets through gravitational microlensing. Some of his most significant achievements include measuring the explosion rates of supernovae in different cosmic epochs, identifying double white dwarfs as potential progenitors of Type Ia supernovae, and discovering periodic photometric patterns in many white dwarfs, linked to the accretion of planetary debris.

Maoz is also the author of the textbook “Astrophysics in a Nutshell”, published by Princeton University Press in 2007 and updated in 2016, which is considered a reference work for undergraduate students in physical sciences. In 2009, he received the Chambliss Award from the American Astronomical Society for his contributions to research and education.

He is a member of the International Astronomical Union and has collaborated with research institutions such as NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Princeton University.