RISA WECHSLER
  • About
    • CV
  • Research
    • Publications & Talks
  • Engagement
    • Public Talks & Media
    • Risa's events
  • Contact
  • FAQ

See CV PDF

positions

Stanford University
Humanities and Sciences Professor
Director, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) (2018-present)
Director, Center for Decoding the Universe @ Stanford (2024-present)
Associate Director of Research in the Physical and Natural Sciences, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI and Data Science (2026-present)
Gregory Amadon University Fellow in Undergraduate Education (2020-present)

Department of Physics, Stanford
Department of Particle Physics & Astrophysics, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Professor (2019-present)
Associate Professor (2013-2019)
Assistant Professor (2006-2013)

University of Chicago  2003-2006
Hubble Fellow, Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics
Enrico Fermi Fellow, Enrico Fermi Institute
Institute Fellow, Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics

University of Michigan 2001-2003
Research Fellow, Department of Physics
Member, Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics

education

University of California, Santa Cruz
PhD Physics, June 2001
Dissertation: ``Dark Halo Merging and Galaxy Formation''

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
S.B. Physics, minor in Mathematics, June 1996

awards 

Member, National Academy of Sciences, Elected 2025
Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Elected 2023
Outstanding Leader Award, Stanford Faculty Women's Forum, 2023
Distinguished Alumna, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2022
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Elected 2020
Stanford Fellows, 2019-2023
Fellow, American Physical Society, Elected 2017
Stanford Faculty Scholar 2015-2016​
Nina C. Crocker Faculty Scholar in Humanities and Sciences, 2013-2017
Hellman Faculty Scholar, Stanford, 2008
Terman Fellow, Stanford 2006-2012
Hubble Fellow 2003-2006 

major positions and service

Flatiron Institute Scientific Advisory Board, 2025-present
Co-Chair, Roman Space Telescope High Latitude Wide Area Survey Definition Committee, 2024-2025
LSST Discovery Alliance Board 2023-present
Rubin Operations Management Board, 2022-present
Board on Physics and Astronomy, National Academy of Sciences, 2021-present
Board of Trustees, Aspen Center for Physics 2020-present​
​KICC Board of Fund Managers, 2020-present
NOIRLab Advisory Board, 2020-2024
Founding Chair, Stanford Physics Department Equity & Inclusion Committee, 2016-2019
Rubin/LSST Scientific Advisory Committee, 2016-2023
Member, High Energy Physics Advisory Panel, 2015-2018
Advisory Board, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, 2015-2019; Chair: 2017-2018
General Member, Aspen Center for Physics, 2015-present
​​Physics & Astronomy Leadership Council, Heising-Simons Foundation
Co-Spokesperson, Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, 2014-2018
​Assistant Director for Scientific Programs, KIPAC, 2013-2018
Co-Chair, Simulations Working Group & Builder, Dark Energy Survey, 2012-present

GFC Group
KIPAC
C4DU
Stanford Physics
PPA, SLAC
Stanford
​SLAC
© COPYRIGHT 2026. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • About
    • CV
  • Research
    • Publications & Talks
  • Engagement
    • Public Talks & Media
    • Risa's events
  • Contact
  • FAQ