Dan Hooper

Dan Hooper is an American cosmologist and particle physicist specializing in dark matter, cosmic rays, and neutrino astrophysics. Hooper earned a doctorate in physics from the University of Wisconsin, where he studied under Francis Halzen, and later conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford. He also served as the David Schramm Fellow at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab).

Hooper has held positions as a senior scientist in the Theoretical Astrophysics Group at Fermilab, where he led the department, and as a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago. He is currently a professor of physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and serves as director of the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC).

Hooper’s research focuses on the interface between particle physics and cosmology, addressing topics such as dark matter, dark energy, supersymmetry, neutrinos, extra dimensions, and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. His published work includes more than 258 articles, with over 25,200 citations and an h-index of 73, according to inSpireHEP. Notable contributions include a widely cited review of dark matter co-authored with Gianfranco Bertone and Joseph Silk, as well as research on the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope's Galactic Center excess and its potential connection to annihilating dark matter.

Hooper is also recognized for his science communication efforts, making astrophysics and particle physics accessible to broader audiences. He is the author of several books, including "Dark Cosmos: In Search of our Universe's Missing Mass and Energy," "Nature's Blueprint: Supersymmetry and the Search for a Unified Theory of Matter and Force," and "At the Edge of Time: Exploring the Mysteries of Our Universe's First Seconds." "Dark Cosmos" was named a notable book by Seed Magazine, and "Nature's Blueprint" received praise from New Scientist. Hooper created the lecture series "What Einstein Got Wrong" for The Great Courses/Wondrium, and has contributed to publications such as Astronomy, Sky and Telescope, and New Scientist. He has appeared on television and radio programs including "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman," BBC's "Horizon," BBC World News, "Space's Deepest Secrets," and NPR's Science Friday.

Hooper co-hosts the physics podcast "Why This Universe?" with Shalma Wegsman, which has reached more than 1.6 million downloads. He was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society for his work on dark matter, combining analysis of observational data with theoretical approaches from both particle physics and astrophysics. Hooper’s career reflects a commitment to advancing scientific understanding of the universe while engaging the public in topics such as cosmology, astrophysics, and fundamental physics.