Claude Canizares

Professor of Physics, Post-Tenure
Research in galactic and extra-galactic high energy astrophysics.
Research Areas
Astrophysics Observation, Instrumentation, and Experiment
(617) 253-7500
Office: 37-673
Lab(s): Canizares Chandra/HETG Group
Affiliated Center(s): MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Assistant: Ty’Shauna Ross

Research Interests

High-resolution spectroscopy and plasma diagnostics of Galactic and extragalactic cosmic X-ray sources; PI of the High Resolution Transmission Grating Spectrometer on NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory; studies of active stars, black-hole or neutron star binaries, supernova remnants, quasars and clusters of galaxies; X-ray sources as probes of inter-stellar and inter-galactic matter.

Biographic Sketch

He received the BA, MA and Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University after which he came to MIT as a postdoctoral fellow and then joined the faculty. He has served as Director of the Center for Space Research, now the MIT-Kavli Institute, (1990-2001), Associate Provost (2001-2006), Vice President for Research & Associate Provost (2006-2013), and Vice President (2013-2015). He has served on numerous advisory committees including the NASA Advisory Council, the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship of the Department of Commerce, and the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, and chaired the National Academies’ Space Studies Board. He was a member of the L-3 Communications, Inc. Board of Directors (2003-2019). In 2020, he was appointed Graduate Student Advocate to work as a liaison between department leadership and students.

MIT150 Infinite History Project interview with Claude Canizares
Courtesy of MIT Infinite History Project | YouTube

Awards & Honors

  • 2017 // Basic Sciences Award, International Academy of Astronautics
  • 2013-2015 // Vice President, MIT
  • 2006-2013 // Vice President for Research & Associate Provost, MIT
  • 2004 // American Academy of Arts & Sciences Fellow
  • 2003 // Decoration for Meritorious Civilian Service to the United States Air Force
  • 2002-13 // Associate Provost and Vice President for Research, MIT
  • 2001 // NASA Public Service Medal for Chandra
  • 2001 // NASA Public Service Medal for Service
  • 1997-2021 // Bruno B. Rossi Distinguished Professor in Experimental Physics
  • 1997 // Goddard Medal of the American Astronautical Society
  • 1996 // American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow
  • 1996 // International Academy of Astronautics
  • 1993 // National Academy of Sciences Member
  • 1990-2002 // Director, MIT Center for Space Research (now known as the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research)
  • 1989 // American Physical Society Fellow "for pioneering investigations in x-ray astrophysics, particularly in the analysis of astrophysical plasmas by high-resolution x-ray spectroscopy."
  • 1980 // Sloan Research Fellowship

Key Publications

  • A Census of Baryons and Dark Matter in an Isolated; Milky Way,sized Elliptical Galaxy P.H. Humphrey; D.A. Boute; C.R. Canizares; A.C. Fabian; J. M. Miller; (2011) Astrophysical Journal 729; 53.

  • A Census of X,ray gas in NGC 1068: Results from 450ks of Chandra HETG Observation T. Kallman; D. A. Evans; H. Marshall; C. Canizares; A. Longinotti; M. Nowak; N. Schulz; (2014) Astrophysical Journal 780; 121.

  • Are the Effects of Structure Formation Seen in the Central Metalicity of Galaxy Clusters? Tamer Y. Elkholy; Mark W. Bautz; Claude R. Canizares; (2015) Astrophysical Journal 805; 3.