Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is one of the most distinctive voices in American physics today — a theoretical cosmologist studying dark matter while using her platform to advocate powerfully for diversity in STEM. She is one of fewer than 100 Black women to hold a faculty position in physics anywhere in the United States. Her 2021 book The Disordered Cosmos was praised as a landmark work at the intersection of physics and social justice, reviewed in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Nature.

Early Life and Education

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein was born around 1982 and grew up in East Los Angeles. She has spoken about deciding to become a theoretical physicist at age 10. At 17, she left East L.A. to attend Harvard College, earning a BA in Physics. She earned her PhD from the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada, then completed postdoctoral research at MIT, the University of Washington, and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Academic Career and Research

Prescod-Weinstein is a tenured Associate Professor of Physics and Core Faculty Member in Women's and Gender Studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her research focuses on axions — a theoretical ultralight dark matter candidate. She is also a co-investigator on the NASA Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope project.

The Disordered Cosmos (2021)

The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred (2021, Bold Type Books) interweaves particle physics and cosmology with meditations on race, gender, and colonialism in science. It was named one of the best science books of 2021 by multiple major outlets.

Net Worth

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein's estimated net worth in 2026 is approximately $300 thousand, from her tenured professor salary at UNH, book royalties, speaking engagements, and science writing for outlets including Scientific American.

Quick Facts

  • Full Name: Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
  • Born: c. 1982 | Age (2026): ~44
  • Birthplace: East Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Education: Harvard College (BA Physics); Univ. of Waterloo / Perimeter Institute (PhD Physics)
  • Profession: Theoretical Physicist, Professor, Author
  • Net Worth (2026): ~$300 Thousand