Scott Tremaine has made seminal contributions to understanding the formation and evolution of planetary systems, comets, black holes, star clusters, galaxies, and galaxy systems. He predicted the Kuiper belt of comets beyond Neptune and, with Peter Goldreich, the existence of shepherd satellites and density waves in Saturn’s ring system, as well as the phenomenon of planetary migration. He interpreted double-nuclei galaxies, such as the nearby Andromeda galaxy, as eccentric stellar disks, and elucidated the role of dynamical friction in galaxy evolution.

Dates at IAS

Faculty Natural Sciences 1/2007–current

Member Natural Sciences 9/2002–12/2002 Fall

Visitor Natural Sciences 1/1989–5/1989 Spring

Visitor Natural Sciences 9/1986–5/1988

Member Natural Sciences 9/1983–12/1983 Fall

Member Natural Sciences 9/1978–6/1981

Degrees

Princeton University

Ph.D., 1975

Princeton University

M.A., 1973

McMaster University

B.Sc., 1971

Honors

Awards: Tomalla Foundation for Gravity Research, Tomalla Prize 2013; American Astronomical Society, Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics 1997, Dirk Brouwer Award 1997; Royal Society of Canada, Rutherford Medal in Physics 1990

Honorary Degrees: University of Toronto, Honorary Doctorate of Science 2010; St. Mary’s University, Honorary Doctorate of Science 1999; McMaster University, Honorary Doctorate of Science 1996

Memberships: National Academy of Sciences; Royal Society of Canada; Royal Society of London

Appointments

Princeton University 1997

Emeritus 2007–current, Charles A. Young Professor 2002–06, Chair, Department of Astrophysical Sciences 1998–2006, Professor 1997–2002

Canadian Institute for Advanced Research 1996–2002

Director, Program in Cosmology and Gravity

University of Toronto 1985–1997

University Professor 1995–97, Director, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics 1985–96, Professor 1985–95

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1981–1985

Associate Professor

Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, 1977–1978