Edmund Bertschinger
Research Interests
Theoretical astrophysics: gravitation; cosmology; and numerical methods. Social sciences: mixed methods investigation of cultural change in STEM.
Biographic Sketch
Ed Bertschinger (he/him) is a professor of physics and affiliated faculty in the Program in Women’s and Gender Studies at MIT. On the faculty since 1986; he has served as Astrophysics Division Head; Physics Department Head; and MIT’s inaugural Institute Community and Equity Officer. Ed works actively to advance equity; diversity; and inclusion at MIT and through professional societies including the American Physical Society; American Astronomical Society; American Institute of Physics; and American Association for the Advancement of Science.
More info:
Courtesy of Inside a Scientist’s Suitcase/NSF | YouTube

American Physical Society honors nine with MIT ties for physics research
Faculty, staff, and alumni recognized for outstanding contributions to physics research, education, and policy.
Awards & Honors
- 2021 // Everett Moore Baker Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for his course “Science Activism: Gender, Race, and Power.”
- 2019 // Innovation Fund grant from the American Physical Society for his project, “APS-IDEA: APS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance.”
- 2015 // Committed to Caring Award, MIT Office of the Dean for Graduate Education
- 2015 // Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
- 2013 // Outstanding Advocacy Award, Council for the Advancement of Black Students, MIT
- 2013 // Outstanding Freshman Advisor Award, MIT
- 2013-18 // Institute Community and Equity Officer
- 2012 // Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award
- 2012 // Luis Walter Alvarez Award for the Advancement of Latinos in Science, SACNAS-SHPE-MAES STEM Consortium
- 2007-13 // Physics Department Head
- 2007 // Guggenheim Fellowship
- 2002-07 // Astrophysics Division Head
- 2002 // Buechner Teaching Prize in Physics, MIT Physics
- 1998 // Fellow, American Physical Society
- 1992 // Helen B. Warner Prize, American Astronomical Society
Key Publications
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C.P. Ma and E. Bertschinger; “Cosmological Perturbation Theory in the Synchronous and Conformal Newtonian Gauges;” ApJ 455; 7 (1995)
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E. Bertschinger and P. Zukin; “Distinguishing modified gravity from dark energy;” Phys Rev D 78; 024015 (2008)
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B. Beckford et al.; “The Time is Now: Systemic Changes to Increase African Americans with Bachelor’s Degrees in Physics and Astronomy;” American Institute of Physics (2020)