Brian Metzger

Graduation Year: 2003
Major(s): Physics & Astronomy, Mathematics
Hometown: Burlington, IA

What was the most important thing you learned?

A visit to UI Physics with my high school physics class made a big difference in my choice to attend the University of Iowa. Speaking broadly, the biggest thing I received at Iowa was a passion for the main subject matter of my professional research (physics and astronomy) while also having an opportunity to learn about completely different subjects (e.g. taking courses in writing, philosophy, history, politics, etc.).  I greatly enjoyed a diversity of classes in Physics & Astronomy on advanced subjects, ranging from Radio Astronomy (Profs. Mutel, Spangler) to Particle Physics (Prof. Reno) to Mathematical Methods (Prof. Scudder).

I also was strongly influenced being involved in undergraduate research, working in the lab and machine shop with Dr. Kletzing and Bounds (my first two summers at Iowa), an REU at the Very Large Array in New Mexico (my third summer, at the suggestion of Prof. Spangler), and then a senior project on astrophysics theory (with then UI Prof. Chandra).  It is clear these experiences shaped my ultimate professional trajectory.

Where are you now and how have you applied what you learned?

After graduating from Iowa, I went on to get my Ph.D. in Physics at UC Berkeley (2003-2009).  After that, I received a NASA Einstein Postdoctoral Fellowship, which I took to Princeton University (2009-2012).  I was then hired as an Assistant Professor at Columbia University in 2013, where I have been since (I was tenured in 2017 and became a full Professor in 2020). Today I remain an active researcher in astrophysics theory, who mentors undergraduate/graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.  I have been recognized with international awards, such as the Bruno Rossi Prize of the American Astronomical Society, the New Horizons Breakthrough Prize in Physics, and a National Laureate of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists.