Professor of Astronomy, Astronomy Departmemt, University of California-Berkeley
Alex Filippenko is the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor in the Physical Sciences. His research accomplishments, documented in more than 600 published papers, have been recognized by several major prizes, and he is one of the world's most highly cited astronomers. In 2009 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He has won the top teaching awards at UC Berkeley and has been voted the "Best Professor" on campus six times. In 2006, he was selected as the Carnegie/CASE National Professor of the Year among doctoral institutions. He has produced four astronomy video courses with The Teaching Company and coauthored an award-winning textbook. An avid tennis player and hiker, he enjoys world travel and is addicted to experiencing total solar eclipses (10, and counting).