Nicholas B. Suntzeff

Suntzeff graduated from Neil Cummins Elementary School in Corte Madera, California and Redwood High School in Larkspur, California. He received his B.S. with distinction in mathematics from Stanford University in 1974 and his Ph.D. in astronomy & astrophysics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and Lick Observatory in 1980. While undergraduates at Stanford University, Suntzeff and engineering student Michael Kast built the Stanford Student Observatory.{{cite web|url=https://physics.stanford.edu/student-observatory|title=Student Observatory|website=physics.stanford.edu}}{{cite web|url=http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=28133|title=Domains: Eye on the Sky|website=alumni.stanford.edu}}

After graduating in 1980, he worked as a postdoctoral research associate with Professor George Wallerstein in the Department of Astronomy at University of Washington. From 1982 to 1986 he was a Carnegie/Las Campanas Fellow at the Mount Wilson & Las Campanas Observatories, now called the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science.

After moving to Chile in 1986, Suntzeff working with Mark M. Phillips and Mario Hamuy at CTIO used the newly developed cryogenic CCD cameras to produce the first modern light curve of a Type Ia supernova.{{ cite journal | author=Phillips, M. M. | display-authors=etal

| title=The Type Ia Supernova 1986G in NGC 5128 - Optical Photometry and Spectra |date=July 1987 | journal=Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific | volume=99 | pages=592–605 | bibcode=1987PASP...99..592P | doi=10.1086/132020| doi-access= }} The fundamental calibration for distances to Type Ia supernovae was invented by the Calán/Tololo Supernova Survey,{{ cite journal | author=Phillips, M. M. |date=August 1993 | title=The absolute magnitudes of Type IA supernovae | journal=Astrophysical Journal Letters | volume=413 | pages=L105–L108 | doi=10.1086/186970 | bibcode=1993ApJ...413L.105P}}{{ cite journal

|author=Hamuy, M. |display-authors=etal |date=December 1993 | journal=The Astronomical Journal | title=The 1990 Calan/Tololo Supernova Search | volume=106 | issue=6 | pages=2392–2407 | doi= 10.1086/116811 | bibcode=1993AJ....106.2392H|url=http://repositorio.uchile.cl/bitstream/2250/126225/1/Hamuy_Mario_1990.pdf }} founded by Mario Hamuy, Jose Maza, Mark M. Phillips, and Suntzeff. The Survey, formed after discussions at the Santa Cruz meeting on supernovae

Supernovae. The Tenth Santa Cruz Workshop in Astronomy and Astrophysics, held July 9–21, 1989, Lick Observatory. Editor, S.E. Woosley; Springer-Verlag, New York, 1991. and the encouragement by Allan R. Sandage to use Type Ia supernovae to measure the Hubble constant H₀ and the deceleration parameter q₀, ran from 1990 to 1995, and provided the pioneering method to measure precision distances to external galaxies,{{ cite journal | author=Hamuy, M. | display-authors=etal

| title=The Morphology of Type IA Supernovae Light Curves |year=1996 | journal=The Astronomical Journal | volume=112 | pages=2438–2447

| doi=10.1086/118193 | bibcode=1996AJ....112.2438H|arxiv = astro-ph/9609063 | s2cid=18539194

}} leading to a precise value of the Hubble constant.{{ cite journal | title=Optical Light Curve of the Type IA Supernova 1998BU in M96 and the Supernova Calibration of the Hubble Constant | author=Suntzeff, N.B. | display-authors=etal |date=March 1999 | journal=The Astronomical Journal | volume=117 | issue=3 | pages=1175–1184 | doi=10.1086/300771 | bibcode=1999AJ....117.1175S|arxiv = astro-ph/9811205 | s2cid=119332674 }}{{ cite journal | author=Freedman, W. | title=Final Results from the Hubble Space Telescope Key Project to Measure the Hubble Constant|year=2001 | journal=The Astrophysical Journal | volume=553 | issue=1 | pages=47–72 | doi=10.1086/320638 | bibcode=2001ApJ...553...47F|arxiv = astro-ph/0012376 | last8=Kennicutt | s2cid=119097691}}

Continuing the work of the Calán/Tololo Survey, Suntzeff with Brian P. Schmidt co-founded the High-Z Supernova Search Team in 1994 that used observations of extragalactic supernovae to discover the accelerating universe.{{ cite journal | author=Riess, A. | display-authors=etal | title=Observational Evidence from Supernovae for an Accelerating Universe and a Cosmological Constant |year=1998 | journal=The Astronomical Journal | volume=116 | issue=3 | pages=1009–1038 | doi=10.1086/300499 | bibcode=1998AJ....116.1009R|arxiv = astro-ph/9805201 | s2cid=15640044 }}{{cite journal | author=Perlmutter, S. | display-authors=etal | title=Measurements of Omega and Lambda from 42 High-Redshift Supernovae |year=1999 | journal=The Astrophysical Journal | volume=517 | issue=2 | pages=565–586 | doi=10.1086/307221 | bibcode=1999ApJ...517..565P|arxiv = astro-ph/9812133 | s2cid=118910636 }} This universal acceleration implies the existence of dark energy consistent with the cosmological constant of Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity, and was voted the top science breakthrough of 1998 by Science magazine.{{ cite journal | url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/282/5397/2156a | journal=Science | author=James Glanz | title=BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR: ASTRONOMY: Cosmic Motion Revealed | volume=282 | issue=5397 | pages=2156–2157 | date=18 December 1998 |doi=10.1126/science.282.5397.2156a |bibcode = 1998Sci...282.2156G | s2cid=117807831 | url-access=subscription }}

Prior to 2006, he was the associate director of science at the US National Optical Astronomy Observatory, and astronomer at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. In 2007, he was elected councilor of the American Astronomical Society, and in 2010, he was elected vice president of the same society. He has been awarded a 2010 Jefferson Senior Science Fellowship{{cite web|url=http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/Jefferson/|title=Jefferson Science Fellowship|date=19 February 2015|website=nationalacademies.org}} of the National Academy of Sciences to work at the US Department of State where he is a Humanitarian Affairs Officer in the Bureau of Human Rights of the Office of International Organization Affairs. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin. He became emeritus on February 2024.

The American Physics Society citation in 2017 recognized Suntzeff for

"... essential contributions and leadership in observational cosmology and astrophysics; investigations into the phenomenology of Type Ia supernovae which laid the groundwork for the discovery of the accelerated expansion of the Universe; and for cofounding one of the two teams that made this discovery."{{cite web | url=https://physics.tamu.edu/suntzeff-elected-as-american-physical-society-fellow/ | title=Suntzeff Elected as American Physical Society Fellow – TAMU Physics & Astronomy }}

In announcing his award as a 2023 American Astronomical Society Fellow, he was cited "For his transformational leadership in the foundation of supernova cosmology, the discovery of the accelerated expansion of the universe, and precision measurements of the Hubble–Lemaître flow; for his service to the national and international astronomical communities; for considerable efforts on behalf of human rights, especially the LGBTQ community, both within astronomy and globally; and for establishing the astronomy program at Texas A&M University."{{Cite web | url=https://aas.org/press/aas-names-22-new-fellows-2023/ | title=AAS Names 22 New Fellows for 2023}}

• Phi Beta Kappa, Beta Chapter, Stanford University, 1974
• President, Graduate Student Association, University of California Santa Cruz, 1979-1980
• Robert J. Trumpler Award for the outstanding Ph.D. in astronomy in North America in 1983{{cite web|url=http://www.astrosociety.org/membership/awards/pasttrumpler.html|title=ASP: Past Winners of the Trumpler Award|website=astrosociety.org}}
• Carnegie Fellowship, Mount Wilson Observatory, 1983{{cite web|url=https://obs.carnegiescience.edu/research/recent-fellows|title=Recent Fellows at the Carnegie Observatories|website=The Carnegie Observatories}}
• AURA Science Award, personally in 1992 and with the CTIO Supernova Team in 1998{{cite web|url=http://www.aura-astronomy.org/nv/aa.asp|title=AURA Awards|website=aura-astronomy.org|access-date=2008-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030329173022/http://www.aura-astronomy.org/nv/aa.asp|archive-date=2003-03-29|url-status=dead}}
• Breakthrough of the Year, Science, 1998{{cite journal |author=James Glanz |title=BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR. ASTRONOMY: Cosmic Motion Revealed |journal=Science |volume=282 |issue=5397 |date=1998 |pages=2156–2157 |doi=10.1126/science.282.5397.2156a |bibcode=1998Sci...282.2156G|s2cid=117807831 }}
• Mitchell/Heep/Munnerlyn Endowed Chair in Observational Astronomy, Texas A&M University, 2006{{cite web|url=http://www.science.tamu.edu/faculty/chairs.php|title=Chairs and Professorships|website=science.tamu.edu|access-date=2015-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721020431/http://www.science.tamu.edu/faculty/chairs.php|archive-date=2016-07-21|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web | url=http://www.science.tamu.edu/faculty/chairs.php | title=| College of Science, Texas A&M University | access-date=2015-09-06 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721020431/http://www.science.tamu.edu/faculty/chairs.php | archive-date=2016-07-21 | url-status=dead }}
• Gruber Cosmology Prize with the High-z Supernova Search Team in 2007{{cite web|url=http://gruber.yale.edu/cosmology/2007/brian-schmidt-high-z-supernova-search-team|title=Brian Schmidt & the High-z Supernova Search Team|website=yale.edu}}
• Jefferson Senior Science Fellowship, National Academy of Sciences and US Department of State, 2010
• Distinguished Achievement Award of Texas A&M University 2012{{cite web|url=http://dof.tamu.edu/content/association-former-students-university-level-distinguished-achievement-awards|title=Association of Former Students University-level Distinguished Achievement Awards|website=tamu.edu|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217063428/http://dof.tamu.edu/content/association-former-students-university-level-distinguished-achievement-awards|archive-date=2014-12-17}}
• Distinguished University Professor, Texas A&M University system, 2013{{cite web|url=http://dof.tamu.edu/node/569|title=List of Distinguished Professors|website=tamu.edu|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220050903/http://dof.tamu.edu/node/569|archive-date=2013-12-20}}
• George H. W. Bush Achievement Award, 2013{{cite web|url=http://ppo.tamu.edu/Services/Initiatives/Bush-Excellence-Awards-for-Faculty|title=PPO - Bush Excellence Awards for Faculty|website=tamu.edu|access-date=2014-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019041157/http://ppo.tamu.edu/Services/Initiatives/Bush-Excellence-Awards-for-Faculty|archive-date=2018-10-19|url-status=dead}}
• Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, 2015{{cite web|url=https://breakthroughprize.org|title=Breakthrough Prize|website=breakthroughprize.org}}
• Fellow of the American Physical Society, 2017{{Cite web | url=https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/fellowships/archive-all.cfm?initial=&year=2017&unit_id=DAP&institution=Texas+A%26M+University | title=APS Fellow Archive}}
• Regents Professor of the Texas A&M University System, 2017{{Cite web | url=https://news.tamus.edu/regents-recognize-exemplary-faculty-and-professionals/ |title = Regents Recognize Exemplary Faculty and Professionals|date = 2017-11-03}}
• Fellow of the American Astronomical Society, 2023{{Cite web | url=https://artsci.tamu.edu/news/2023/02/suntzeff-elected-as-2023-american-astronomical-society-fellow.html/ | title=Suntzeff Elected As 2023 American Astronomical Society Fellow | access-date=2023-02-17 | archive-date=2023-05-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517231359/https://artsci.tamu.edu/news/2023/02/suntzeff-elected-as-2023-american-astronomical-society-fellow.html | url-status=dead }}
• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2023 {{cite web | url=https://today.tamu.edu/2024/04/18/17-faculty-elected-2023-fellows-of-the-american-association-for-the-advancement-of-science/ | title=17 Faculty Elected 2023 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science | date=18 April 2024 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.aaas.org/page/2023-fellows | title=2023 AAAS Fellows | American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) }}

He is a native of San Francisco and grew up in Corte Madera, California. He is the paternal grandson of Matvei Andrianovich Evdokimov (1887–1920) (Russian: Матвей Андрианович Евдокимов), one of the principal private arms manufacturers in czarist Russia, located in Izhevsk.{{cite book |last= Алексеева |first= Эрнестина Витальевна |date= 2009 |title= Родословная ижевских фабрикантов охотничьего оружия. XIX-XX вв |url= http://elibrary.unatlib.org.ru/handle/123456789/16372 |location= Ижевск |publisher= КнигоГрад |isbn= 978-5-9631-0053-0 }} The Evdokimov factory in Izhevsk began in the 1860s by Andrian Nikandrovich Evdokimov (1844–1917 (Russian: Андриан Никандрович Евдокимов), and by 1890, was manufacturing Mosin–Nagant and Berdan rifles.{{Cite web |url=http://qirme.org/en/russia/izhevsk/arms-factory-evdokimov |title=Arms factory of A.N. Evdokimov | Qirme.org |access-date=2014-11-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306134805/http://qirme.org/en/russia/izhevsk/arms-factory-evdokimov |archive-date=2016-03-06 |url-status=dead }} They continued production until the Russian Civil War in 1917. These rifles were used during the Revolution and World War I,{{cite web|url=http://archive.udmpravda.ru/default/article?article=1188016402|title=Удмуртская правда / Сельский обыватель - оружейник, фабрикант - филантроп|website=udmpravda.ru|access-date=2014-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215043549/http://archive.udmpravda.ru/default/article?article=1188016402|archive-date=2014-12-15|url-status=dead}} and were retooled for use during World War II, especially by the Finnish Army.

Although not supporters of the White cause, for their safety the family of Matvei fled east with Admiral Kolchak, the White Army, and the Czech Legion when the Whites captured Perm in 1918.{{cite web|url=http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/mowihsp/words/OHSuntzeffchap1.htm|title=Missouri Women in the Health Sciences - In Her Words - Valentina Suntzeff - Autobiography (Chapter 1)|website=wustl.edu}} Matvei died at Manchurian Station (Manzhouli) near Chita. His only child, Nicholai Matveevich Evdiokimov (1918–1995) (Russian: Николай Матвеевич Евдокимов) continued with Matvei's wife Zoya Vasilevna Suntzeva (Russian: Зоя Васильевна Сунцевa) (1897–1976), with the Suntzeff family to Harbin China and then to the San Francisco in 1928. Nicholai assumed the last name of his mother and immigrated into the US as Nicholas Matveevich Suntzeff (Russian: Николай Матвеевич Сунцев). The Suntzeff family, prominent merchants from the Ural region, came from Motovilikha (now part of Perm, Russia) and have ancestry in the Udmurt people. A bridge "Сунцев мост" in Motovilikha was named after the family store nearby.{{Cite web | url=http://oldperm.clan.su/photo/52-0-1509 | title=Сунцев мост - Мотовилиха - Фотографии старинной Перми - Фотоальбом - Неизвестная Пермь}}

Suntzeff is mentioned in the Alan Alda memoir, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: and Other Things I've Learned.{{Cite book |last=Alda |first=Alan |year=2006 |title=Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: and Other Things I've Learned |location=New York |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-1-4000-6409-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/neverhaveyourdog00alda }}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://csp1.lco.cl/~cspuser1/ Carnegie Supernova Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707011544/http://csp1.lco.cl/~cspuser1/ |date=2011-07-07 }}
• [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/supernova/HighZ.html High-Z Supernova Team's web page]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160414112557/http://physics.tamu.edu/directory/showpeople.php?name=Nicholas%20B.%20Suntzeff&userid=nsuntzeff Nicholas B. Suntzeff, directory page at Texas A&M University]
• [http://mitchell.tamu.edu/people/nicholas-suntzeff/ Nicholas B. Suntzeff, directory page at Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517104040/http://mitchell.tamu.edu/people/nicholas-suntzeff/ |date=2016-05-17 }}
• [http://www.iau.org/administration/membership/individual/6107/ Nicholas B. Suntzeff, directory page at the IAU]
• [https://2009-2017.state.gov/p/io/ Office of International Organization Affairs, US Department of State]

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Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American astronomers

Category:21st-century American astronomers

Category:American cosmologists

Category:American people of Russian descent

Category:Fellows of the American Astronomical Society

Category:Fellows of the American Physical Society

Category:Jefferson Science Fellows

Category:People from Corte Madera, California

Category:Redwood High School (Larkspur, California) alumni

Category:Stanford University alumni

Category:Texas A&M University faculty

Category:University of California, Santa Cruz alumni