Leadership:
Robert Simcoe, Director
Marshall Bautz, Associate Director
History and Mission:
The MIT Kavli Institute (MKI) for Astrophysics and Space Research is a world-leading institution for research in astrophysics. First established in 1963 as the Center for Space Research (CSR), MKI has cultivated a half-century of expertise deploying advanced technologies to support the scholarly inquiry of MIT’s faculty, research and technical staff, and student body.
In 2004, a generous gift from the Kavli Foundation supported the merger of the CSR and MIT’s Division of Astrophysics, creating an intellectual home for interdisciplinary astronomy- and space-oriented research across the departments of Physics, Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, and Aeronautics/Astronautics. MKI supports the research of 180 scientists including 37 resident faculty members, and collaborates on select programs with MIT Lincoln Labs.
MKI is a partner in various space missions and ground-based observatories, including the recently launched Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an Explorer-class planet finder. On the ground, MIT-MKI is a partner in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO,) the Magellan telescopes, and the Murchison Widefield Array. In addition to research activities, MKI makes important contributions to science education and the development of future scientists. Their goal is to incorporate an education and outreach component in research proposals and in collaborations with the MIT community.
Learn more about MKI: