Dr. Rachel Rosen is a distinguished theoretical physicist specializing in the intersection of quantum field theory and gravitational physics at the forefront of modern theoretical physics. She currently serves as Associate Professor of Theoretical Physics at Carnegie Mellon University, where she joined the faculty in 2022 after seven years as Assistant and Associate Professor at Columbia University. Rosen completed her doctoral studies at New York University in 2009 under the supervision of Gregory Gabadadze, following her undergraduate education in mathematics and physics at Brown University. Her early career included postdoctoral research positions at both Columbia University and Stockholm University, where she established foundational work in the field of massive gravity.
Dr. Rosen's research has made significant contributions to resolving the critical problem of 'ghosts' in theories of massive gravity, developing mathematically rigorous frameworks that avoid these inconsistencies while maintaining theoretical viability. Her work applies the powerful methodology of particle physics to gravitational phenomena, creating new approaches for understanding how quantum field theory operates in curved spacetimes—a fundamental challenge at the intersection of quantum mechanics and general relativity. Through her development of effective field theory techniques for studying gravitational physics, she has provided valuable insights into consistency conditions for quantum field theories in both flat spacetime and de Sitter space. Her influential publications on massive and massless spin-2 scattering demonstrate her commitment to addressing foundational questions about gravitational interactions and their implications for cosmological models.
In recognition of her impactful contributions to theoretical physics, Dr. Rosen received a Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists in 2013 for her groundbreaking work on massive gravity. She currently leads significant collaborative research efforts, including co-leading the Simons Foundation's 'Cosmology Beyond Einstein's Gravity' initiative alongside Claudia de Rham and Gregory Gabadadze. Beyond her research, Professor Rosen is actively engaged in mentoring the next generation of physicists and has contributed to the development of quantum mechanics and thermal physics curricula at Carnegie Mellon. Her ongoing investigations continue to push the boundaries of theoretical physics, particularly in exploring how quantum field theory functions in realistic curved spacetime environments—a crucial question for understanding the fundamental nature of our universe.
