Larry M. Silverberg

Larry M. Silverberg is a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University, where he has been a member of the faculty since the mid-1980s. A dynamicist by training, Silverberg studied under Leonard Meirovitch and received his doctorate in engineering mechanics from Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Over the course of his career, Silverberg has developed applied and theoretical methods that advanced the foundation of ordinary and spacetime dynamics. His expertise spans dynamics and modern physics, with particular depth in relativistic and computational dynamics.

Silverberg's professional experience includes serving as a research fellow at NASA, directing the Mars Mission Research Center at North Carolina State University, and holding the role of associate department head for nearly a decade. He developed spacecraft experiments that were flown on several space shuttle flights and has pursued theoretical concepts that unify mechanics and electromagnetism. His research led to a unified formulation of macro-scale gravitation and electromagnetism, contributing to the field of fundamental physics.

Silverberg is recognized for applying rigorous engineering principles to publicly engaging topics. Together with colleague Chau Tran, he co-authored a peer-reviewed study using hundreds of thousands of three-dimensional computer simulations of basketball free-throw trajectories to determine optimal shooting conditions. The study found that shooters should release the ball 7 feet above the ground, apply up to 3 hertz of backspin, aim toward the back of the ring, and launch at 52 degrees to the horizontal. This research received widespread media attention and demonstrated Silverberg's ability to make complex science accessible to broad audiences.

Silverberg is the author of several books, including "Unified Field Theory for the Engineer and the Applied Scientist," published by J. Wiley; "Mark's Mechanics: Problem-Solving Companion," co-authored with J.P. Thrower and published by McGraw Hill; "Fundamentals in Analog Circuits," co-authored with Chau M. Tran; and "The Fragment: The Primitive Stuff from which Everything Originates," published by Kendall-Hunt. He contributes regularly to outlets such as The Conversation and Scientific American, consistently bridging the gap between theoretical physics and public curiosity.