2021 Carl Sagan Medal winner for excellence in public communication
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
Adam Frank
Professor of astrophysics, science commentator, and popular author
Career in higher education
Adam Frank received his PhD in physics (1992) from the University of Washington and held postdoctoral and visiting scientist positions at Leiden University and the University of Minnesota.
Adam joined the University of Rochester in 1996. Serving as the Helen F. & Fred H. Gowen Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Adam studies star formation and evolution, as well as develops tools for simulating the cosmos. Through his research, Adam has written numerous academic papers and books, as well as shared his knowledge in a variety of media appearances.
Learn more about Adam Frank’s academic career on his faculty departmental profile page.
Media appearances
Adam Frank is a frequent on-air commentator for live interviews and segments on outlets such as CNN and NPR. Adam also regularly contributes to written publications, including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Scientific American.
Adam also served as science advisor for Marvel’s Doctor Strange, and has appeared on numerous science documentaries such as Netflix’s Alien Worlds.
Members of the media can request an interview with Adam Frank
Selection of recent media appearances
What To Expect During the Total Solar Eclipse
MSNBC, April 5, 2024
Artemis Mission Returning Humans to the Moon
CNN, January 1, 2024
Congressional hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena
CNN, July 27, 2023
The Race to Mars
Meet the Press, May 2023
Congressional hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena
MSNBC, July 26, 2023
Congressional hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena
NewsNation, July 24, 2023
The Most Dazzling Eclipse in the Universe
The Atlantic, April 1, 2024
The Secret to Unlocking One of the Universe’s Greatest Mysteries
New York Times, October 16, 2023
Is Earth Smart?
The Atlantic, February 19, 2022
Guest Essay: I’m a Physicist Who Searches for Aliens. UFOs Don’t Impress Me.
New York Times, June 30, 2021
The Impossible Cool of Cowboy Bebop
Big Think, May 26, 2021
‘A Marvelous Life’ Holds Stan Lee High as the Man Who Made Superheroes Matter
NPR, Nov. 6, 2019
Books
Adam has authored five popular books arguing for the beauty of science and against science denial.
The Blind Spot
Adam Frank says science has lost its way. In The Blind Spot, Adam and his coauthors explain why science cannot afford to ignore the human experience. Having done so over the years, he explains, has led to a host of problems, which includes supporting a mindset that has led to ignoring climate change.
The Little Book of Aliens
In his upcoming book, The Little Book of Aliens (Harper Collins, 2023), he details what we know and what we need to know in our search for extraterrestrials. Author Kim Stanley Robinson describes the book as “clear as a map, as clear as Drake’s equation.” The book will be available in October.
Light of the Stars
In Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth, Adam Frank tells the story of humanity’s coming of age as we awaken to the possibilities of life on other worlds and their sudden relevance to our fate on a climate-changed Earth.
About Time
In About Time: Cosmology and Culture at the Twilight of the Big Bang, Adam Frank allows us a peek into the cutting edge of cosmology, explaining how the texture of our lives changes along with our understanding of the universe’s origin.
The Constant Fire
The Constant Fire: Beyond the Science vs. Religion Debate tackles the acrimonious debate between science and religion, taking us beyond its stagnant parameters into the wider domain of human spiritual experience.
Requests for interviews
Adam Frank is no stranger to the media—he is frequently interviewed for national print, television, and radio pieces, along with appearing as a live guest on network news shows and segments.
If you’d like to talk to Adam for a quick comment or something more in-depth, please contact Sara Miller, University of Rochester Associate Vice President for Public Relations.
Email: smiller@ur.rochester.edu
Phone: (585) 281-9495