Nergis Mavalvala, PhD, is a Pakistani-American astrophysicist who was part of the team of scientists who made the first direct detection of gravitational waves. Born in Pakistan, Mavalavala moved to the United States in 1986 and enrolled at Wellesley College. She discovered her passion for physics and research during her undergrad. After graduating from Wellesley College, she received her PhD in 1997 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was a 2010 recipient of a MacArthur Genius Award. In 2016, Mavalvala was part of a team of scientists that used the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) to successfully detect ripples produced by two black holes colliding, which confirmed one of Einstein’s main predictions in his general theory of relativity. In 2014, she was named LGBTQ Scientist of the Year by the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals. Currently, she is the Curtis and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics at MIT and also the dean of the university’s school of science.
Learn more at National Schools’ Observatory.