Benjamin Chandran

Benjamin D.G. Chandran is a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), where he has built a distinguished career in theoretical plasma physics and theoretical astrophysics. He earned dual bachelor’s degrees in history and physics from Yale University before completing his doctorate in astrophysical sciences from Princeton University in 1997, with a dissertation on nonlinear turbulent dynamos and the origin of galactic magnetic fields. Chandran’s research explores some of the most energetically puzzling phenomena in astrophysics and space physics: why the solar corona is far hotter than the solar surface, how plasma turbulence accelerates particles and transports heat, and how magnetic fields shape the evolution of large-scale cosmic structures like galaxy clusters. His group has made significant contributions to the theory of Alfvén-wave turbulence, stochastic particle heating, and the role of plasma instabilities in the solar wind. He is a co-investigator on the Parker Solar Probe mission, which has produced groundbreaking measurements of the solar wind and inner heliosphere since its launch in 2018, and his theoretical frameworks have helped interpret and predict its observations. A Fellow of the American Physical Society since 2018, Chandran was recognized by the APS for “fundamental contributions to the theory of turbulence, heating, particle acceleration and thermal conduction in space and astrophysical plasmas.” He has also received UNH’s Excellence in Teaching award. His research program is supported by NASA, NSF, and the Department of Energy, and he mentors undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers.