David Chuss, PhD 
Professor of Physics | Villanova University
Villanova, PA, UNITED STATES
David Chuss, PhD, has worked at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and studies astronomical polarimetry and magnetic fields.
Areas of Expertise (5)
Astrophysical Magnetic Fields
Cosmology
Astronomical Polarimetry
Galactic Center
Star Formation
Biography
David Chuss develops instrumentation to study the polarization of long wavelength light from astrophysical phenomenon to learn about the universe. He has worked on projects exploring the cosmic microwave background, which is thermal radiation from the beginning of the universe. Most recently, he led a team that developed a new camera for NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy that measures the polarization of radiation from clouds, which unveils the magnetic fields that can affect the star formation process. Prior to coming to Villanova, Chuss worked as an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
Education (3)
Northwestern University: Ph.D.
The Pennsylvania State University: M.S.
Villanova University: B.S.
Select Accomplishments (4)
Goddard Exceptional Achievement for Science
2013
Goddard Special Act Award (CLASS)
2010
Goddard Special Act Award (PIPER)
2009
NSF Antarctica Service Medal of the United States of America
2000
Links (1)
Select Media Appearances (1)
Searching for a tiny signal from the very beginning of the universe
WHYY
2016-08-04
The air is thin on Cerro Toco Mountain, high up in the Atacama Desert in Chile, and breathing can be a bit of a challenge. But all is forgotten with a look at the stunning night sky. “It’s incredibly beautiful, there’s very little light pollution at all,” says Villanova University astrophysicist David Chuss. “You can see the Milky Way, it’s a very beautiful experience.”
Select Academic Articles (4)
A cryogenic thermal source for detector array characterization
Review of Scientific Instruments2017
HAWC+, the Far-Infrared Camera and Polarimeter for SOFIA
Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation2018
