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2008 Cosmology Prize

J. Richard Bond

J. Richard Bond grew up in the Toronto area and received his BSc in mathematics and physics from the University of Toronto in 1973. He earned his MS and PhD in theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology in 1975 and 1979, respectively.

Throughout his career, Bond has shed light on several key questions in the science of cosmology. What is the universe made of? How did the universe become structured? How did it evolve and what is its fate? He is considered by his peers to be at the forefront of the “golden age of cosmology.” Among his major contributions is the development of the theory and analysis of cosmic microwave background radiation fluctuations into a high precision tool for exploring the cosmos.

Bond became an assistant professor at Stanford University in 1981, then an associate professor. In 1985 he returned to the University of Toronto as a founding faculty member in the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) and Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)'s Cosmology and Gravity Program. He served two five-year terms as director of CITA, from 1996-2006, and has been the director of CIFAR's Cosmology and Gravity Program since 2002. He was awarded the title of University Professor in 2000.

His research contributions have been recognized by many awards, including the Dannie Heineman Prize of the American Astronomical Society, the Beals Prize of the Canadian Astronomical Society, the Canadian Association of Physicists/Centre de recherches mathématiques Prize in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics, the Steacie Prize for Natural Sciences, and Humboldt, Sloan and Steacie Fellowships. In 2007, he was awarded the two top Canadian prizes for career achievement, the Herzberg Gold Medal for Science and Engineering and the Killam Prize in the Natural Sciences. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, the Royal Society of Canada, and the American Physical Society, as well as a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

During the last two decades, Bond has played a leading role in developing Canadian cosmology into its current vibrant state as one of the leading communities in this area in the world. He is known for making CITA a sought-after destination for over 150 post-PhD scientists to develop their careers in theoretical astrophysicists. Most of these CITAzens have gone on to distinguished national and international faculty positions. In recognition of these national efforts, he became an Officer in the Order of Canada in 2005 and was inducted into the Order of Ontario in 2008. These are the highest honors for citizens of the country and of the province.