Wayne Hu is a preeminent cosmological physicist whose theoretical innovations have been fundamental to transforming cosmology into a precision science. He currently serves as the Paul Snowden Russell Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Chicago, a position he has held since joining the faculty in 2000 after an appointment at the Institute for Advanced Study. Dr. Hu received his AB in physics from Princeton University in 1990 and completed his PhD in physics at UC Berkeley in 1995 under the guidance of Joseph Silk. His distinguished academic career has established him as a leading authority connecting theoretical frameworks with observational cosmology. Hu maintains significant affiliations with both the Enrico Fermi Institute and the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago.
Hu's pioneering research on Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropy and polarization has provided the theoretical foundation that enabled landmark missions including WMAP and Planck to extract unprecedented cosmological information from observational data. His seminal work with Eisenstein established baryon acoustic oscillations as a powerful cosmological probe, particularly for studying dark energy and measuring neutrino masses through galaxy clustering observations. He introduced the innovative technique of weak-lensing tomography, which has become one of the most promising approaches for investigating dark energy and the fundamental structure of the universe. Hu's methodological breakthroughs in testing modified gravity as an alternative to dark energy established the standard framework now used throughout the field, enabling researchers to distinguish between competing cosmological models and fundamental physics explanations.
Recognized for his transformative impact, Hu was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2016 and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, having received prestigious honors including the Trumpler Prize, Sloan Research Fellowship, and Packard Fellowship. His theoretical frameworks continue to guide major cosmological projects including the Dark Energy Survey and South Pole Telescope, where his insights shape observational strategies and data interpretation. Hu has profoundly influenced the field through his exceptionally clear pedagogical approach, mentoring generations of cosmologists through both formal instruction and seminal publications that have become standard references. Currently investigating the matter-energy constituents of the universe and the physics of cosmic acceleration at both the earliest and most recent epochs, his research addresses fundamental questions about inflation and dark energy that may reveal new physics beyond the standard model.
