The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins is a world leader in groundbreaking research in condensed matter physics, particle physics, astronomy and astrophysics, and plasma physics.
In 2008, an Advisory Council was established to guide, promote, and support the department in its efforts to increase funding, establish external partnerships, and conduct professional outreach.
The council has a formal structure with a chair, a vice chair, an executive committee, and two sub-committees: one for Research and Industry Partnerships and one for Fundraising and Advocacy. Members of the Advisory Council include alumni of the department; leaders in education, industry, business, and non-profit organizations; and researchers.
The Advisory Council meets annually in June and the sub-committees meet throughout the year. Its members engage in the following:
- Advising the department on strategic planning and research activities
- Assisting with fundraising and other resource acquisition
- Providing access to industries, businesses, and research organizations that can result in internships or research opportunities for students and faculty
- Serving as advocates for the department and its interests within the broader external community.
In addition, the Advisory Council strives to address these key areas:
- Attract more students, particularly women and minority students, to science by providing more scholarships and research opportunities.
- Foster more department-public/private sector dialogue to advance the department’s research.
- Address diminished public/government funding for “pure research.”
Current Membership
Noor Islam, Chair, Physics and Astronomy Advisory Council
Managing Director in Fixed Income Currencies & Commodities (FICC) Trading at Merrill Lynch
Homaira Akbari,
President and CEO, AKnowledge Partners
Shane Burn
Managing Director, Lake Hill Capital
Howard Cooper, Vice Chair, Physics and Astronomy Advisory Council
CEO, Cooper Family Office
Matthew A. Earl
Retired Associate Professor of Medical Physics, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Bruce Gebhardt
Co-founder and Principal, Pathfinder Capital Advisors, LLC
Paul Horvath
Group CEO, Orchard Global Capital Group
David Kupperman
Managing Director, Neuberger Berman Group, LLC
Jennifer W. Lopez
Founding Member, Datanaut Corps, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Technology and Innovation at NASA; Founder and CEO, Wisenn & Co.
Heidi Messer
Co-founder/Chairman, Collective
Co-founder/CEO, WorldEvolved
Trisha Muro
Science Writer
David Nicholson
Founder and Chairman, York Management & Research, Inc.
Matthew Polk
Former Chairman and Co-founder, Polk Audio, Inc.
Gillian Sandler
Partner, Galapoint, LLC
Matthew R. Witten
Director, CyberKnife Radiosurgery, Winthrop University Hospital