​Frances Hellman

Frances Hellman received her B.A. in physics from Dartmouth College and her Ph.D. in applied physics from Stanford University. After a postdoc at AT&T Bell Labs, she went to UC San Diego in 1987 and then in 2005 came to Berkeley, where she holds appointments in the Physics Department, the Materials Science and Engineering Department, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her lab works on ways to measure thermodynamic phenomena at very small scales, and she is an expert on the fundamental science of magnetic materials. Her work has enabled advances in the observation of cosmic gravitational waves. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the American Physical Society, which has elected her to its presidential line. She is a dedicated mentor and teacher, engaged in scientific public outreach, and committed to educational activities that increase diversity in science.