Benjamin Safdi

Dr. Benjamin Safdi is an esteemed Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of California, Berkeley. His academic journey began with an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, followed by a Master of Advanced Study from Cambridge University, where he was honored as a Churchill Scholar. He completed his PhD at Princeton University in 2014, marking the beginning of a distinguished career in the field of physics. Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Safdi was awarded the prestigious Pappalardo Fellowship in Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a position he held until 2017. His academic career then led him to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he served as an Assistant Professor. In 2020, he transitioned to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and a year later, he joined the faculty at UC Berkeley. Dr. Safdi's research is primarily focused on the enigmatic realm of dark matter. He is dedicated to unraveling the microscopic nature of dark matter and is actively involved in developing innovative experimental and astrophysical methods to identify potential dark matter candidates. His work also includes advancing data-analysis techniques to enhance the understanding of dark matter signatures within astrophysical datasets. In recognition of his contributions to the field, Dr. Safdi was awarded the Department of Energy Early Career Award in 2018. Two years later, he received the IUPAP C11 Young Scientist Prize in Particles and Fields, further cementing his reputation as a leading figure in particle physics and astrophysics. Dr. Safdi is also a founding member of the ABRACADABRA axion dark matter experiment, a pioneering initiative aimed at detecting axion dark matter. His work continues to push the boundaries of our understanding of the universe, making significant strides in the search for dark matter.