Lisa Randall

Lisa Randall is a theoretical physicist and serves as the Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University. Her research focuses on the fundamental forces of nature and the dimensions of space, including the Standard Model, supersymmetry, cosmological inflation, and dark matter. Randall co-developed the Randall–Sundrum model with Raman Sundrum, which has influenced research in black holes, string theory, and particle physics. She was the first tenured woman in the Princeton physics department and the first tenured female theoretical physicist at Harvard.

After completing her graduate work at Harvard, Randall held professorships at MIT and Princeton University before returning to Harvard. She has been recognized as one of the most cited theoretical physicists and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her honors include the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship, the National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award, the DOE Outstanding Junior Investigator Award, and the Julius Lilienfeld Prize from the American Physical Society for her work in elementary particle physics, cosmology, and science communication. Randall was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the "Scientists & Thinkers" category for her contributions to theoretical physics.

Randall is also known for her work as a science communicator. Her books "Warped Passages" and "Knocking on Heaven's Door" were both New York Times bestsellers and named among the 100 Notable Books. In "Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions," she explores theories involving extra dimensions and brane-worlds. "Knocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World" addresses the search for the Higgs boson. In "Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs," Randall discusses possible connections between dark matter and life on Earth, tracing the history of the universe from the Big Bang through the development of life.

Randall has appeared on The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and Charlie Rose, and has participated in numerous radio interviews on NPR and other outlets. Her research has been featured in The Economist, Forbes, The New York Times, Scientific American, and Discover magazine. Beyond her scientific and media work, Randall wrote the libretto for "Hypermusic Prologue: A Projective Opera in Seven Planes," which premiered at Centre Pompidou in Paris, and co-curated an art exhibit for the Los Angeles Art Association. She frequently speaks and writes about science, creativity, and the challenges faced by innovative thinkers, with a focus on making complex scientific concepts accessible to a broad audience.