Meet the Research Scientist: Shirley Ho
This entry is part of our Meet the Research Scientist blog series, which introduces and highlights Research Scientists who have recently joined CDS.
Meet CDS Senior Research Scientist Shirley Ho, a distinguished astrophysicist and machine learning expert who brings a wealth of experience and innovative research to our community. Dr. Ho currently holds positions at the Center for Computational Astrophysics at the Flatiron Institute, New York University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Shirley Ho’s research lies at the intersection of astrophysics, cosmology, and artificial intelligence. She has made significant contributions to our understanding of the cosmic microwave background, dark energy, dark matter, and the spatial distribution of galaxies and quasars. What sets Dr. Ho apart is her pioneering work in applying deep learning techniques to astrophysics.
“I’m excited to be part of CDS because it provides a unique environment where cutting-edge data science methods can be developed and applied to push the boundaries of science,” said Ho. “I look forward to collaborating with fellow researchers and students to explore new frontiers in foundation models for science.”
Dr. Ho’s innovative approach has led to several groundbreaking achievements:
- Her team at Carnegie Mellon University was the first to apply 3D convolutional neural networks in astrophysics.
- She led the first effort to accelerate astrophysical simulations with deep learning.
- Her current team at the Center for Computational Astrophysics and Princeton University pioneered the combination of symbolic regression and neural networks to recover physical laws directly from observations.
Dr. Ho’s contributions have not gone unnoticed. She has received numerous awards and honors, including being named a National Blavatnik Award Finalist (2023), the NASA Group Achievement Award, in 2011 and 2022, and as well as being elected an International Astrostatistics Association Fellow in 2020.
At CDS, Dr. Ho will continue her groundbreaking work in applying AI to cosmology and astrophysics. She will also contribute to the ethical development and deployment of AI in scientific research, promoting open-source principles and responsible AI practices.
Dr. Ho’s research has been featured in prominent publications such as WIRED magazine, Quanta magazine, Scientific American, and the New Scientist. Her work promises to open new avenues for understanding our universe and push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI in astrophysics.
Dr. Ho’s academic journey began at the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated summa cum laude with dual bachelors degrees in physics and computer science. She then pursued her PhD in Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University, completing her doctorate in 2008 under the guidance of renowned cosmologist David Spergel.
To view all our current Research Scientists, please visit the CDS Research Engineers & Scientists page on our website.
By Stephen Thomas
