BURÇİN MUTLU-PAKDİL, Ph.D.

Astrophysicist

Assistant Professor

Dartmouth College 

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Dr. Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil studies the most peculiar objects in the Universe. Her research has led to a discovery of an extremely rare galaxy with a unique circular structure, which is now commonly referred to as Burçin's Galaxy. Her work has provided the first description of a double-ringed elliptical galaxy, introducing new challenges to our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution.

 

She is an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College. She is a lead member of several ambitious imaging surveys, and uses observations of small and faint (dwarf) galaxies to study the smallest dark matter halos, and how they get populated with stars. Her work has been recognized by several prestigious awards. She has been honored as a 2018 Ted Fellow and 2020 TED Senior Fellow, featured in National Geographic as a “woman of impact”, and named an AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador. More than 2 million viewers have watched her TED talk.

Mutlu-Pakdil's findings have been featured by CNN, Science Daily, Astronomy Magazine, Independent, and MPR News, among many others. Damon Brown wrote in his regular Inc. Magazine online column: “Many organizations are dedicated to filling the STEM pipeline with more girls and women. Others are supporting the cause by being an example. TED Fellow Burçin is representing by being one of the most notable astrophysicists today.”