David Spergel

David Spergel (born 1961) is an American astrophysicist and the president of the Simons Foundation. He is a Princeton University professor emeritus.

• Renowned for his work on the cosmic microwave background and the WMAP satellite mission
• Earned numerous awards including the MacArthur Fellowship
• Willingness to lead the NASA UAP panel lent significant scientific credibility to the study of unidentified anomalous phenomena

Spergel served as chair of the independent NASA UAP study team established in 2022.

• Delivered its findings in September 2023
• Though the panel noted the persistent challenge of stigma facing UAP research

Spergel's expertise in cosmology has shaped major scientific advancements.

• Leading role in WMAP and measurements of the universe's age, shape, and composition
• Contributions to the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope science program
• Established standard model of cosmology through microwave background observations