Prof. Zohar Komargodski

Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics | Weizmann Institute of Science

Born in the USSR (Ukraine) in 1983, Prof. Zohar Komargodski earned his BSc in physics and mathematics from Tel Aviv University in 2004. He conducted his graduate studies in physics at the Weizmann Institute, earning an MSc in 2006 and a PhD in 2008. After conducting postdoctoral research at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where he was accepted as a long-term member, Prof. Komargodski joined the faculty of the Weizmann Institute in March of 2011.
Prof. Komargodski conducts research in theoretical high-energy physics. His main interests lie in particle physics; he also investigates topics in quantum field theory and cosmology, as well as various issues related to quantum gravity and string theory. He has made creative contributions to a theory called Supersymmetry, a unifying theory aimed at explaining all the physical phenomena in the universe, from the behavior of subatomic particles to the formation of the universe itself. In particular, he explores the points at which Supersymmetry disagrees with the previously dominant theory of matter, the Standard Model. He derives crucial input from large-scale physics initiatives worldwide, especially the experiments conducted at the world’s largest particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland.
He is the recipient of a number of prestigious fellowships and awards, including the prestigious New Horizons in Physics Prize in 2012, awarded by the Fundamental Physics, the Philippe Meyer Prize in Theoretical Physics (2014), the Gribov Medal given by the European Physical Society (2013), the 2012-2013 Segre Rosa and Emilio Research Award, the Weizmann Institute’s Levinson Prize (2013) and Gruber Award (2011), the Feinberg Graduate School’s John F. Kennedy Prize (2008), the Otto Schwarz fellowship award for excellence in studies and research (2007), and the Israel Physical Society award (2007).

He is married to Olga, a medical doctor. His hobbies include linguistics, reading, hiking and sports.