Kent State Professor Named One of Only Eight 2026 Simons Pivot Fellows
How did the universe begin? Why is it expanding? What role do dark matter and dark energy, which account for 95 percent of the universe, play in the universe’s evolution?
These are just some of the questions that Veronica Dexheimer, Ph.D., professor of physics and director of Kent State University’s Center for Nuclear Research, will be attempting to answer with the support of a grant she received.
Dexheimer was selected as one of only eight 2026 Simons Pivot Fellows nationwide, a prestigious and highly competitive award from the Simons Foundation. The fellowship includes a $207,000 grant and marks the largest award Kent State has received to date from the foundation. For Dexheimer and the university, it represents both national recognition and an exciting new chapter of discovery.
For nearly two decades, she has studied some of the most extreme environments in the universe. As a theoretical nuclear physicist, she investigates matter under extraordinary conditions. Some of this matter is so dense it exists only in the cores of neutron stars, while other forms are so hot they can be recreated only briefly in high-energy laboratory collisions.
Neutron stars are the collapsed remnants of massive stars, the result of a supernova. A single teaspoon of neutron star material would weigh billions of tons on Earth. By studying how matter behaves in these extreme environments, scientists gain insight into the fundamental building blocks of our universe.
Through the Simons Pivot Fellowship, Dexheimer is expanding her focus from the smallest scales of matter to the largest scale imaginable. During her fellowship year, she will train in cosmology and general relativity and begin researching the large-scale structure and overall shape of the universe.
“I always wanted to understand the universe, its origins, its frontiers and ultimately its destiny,” Dexheimer shared in her fellowship proposal.
Her research is being conducted in collaboration with Glenn Starkman, Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University, a nationally recognized leader in cosmology. Together, they will explore how observations of the universe’s structure may reveal clues about its earliest moments and long-term evolution.
For Kent State, the impact extends well beyond the fellowship year. Dexheimer’s work will introduce a new research area in cosmology within the Department of Physics, expanding opportunities for students, postdoctoral researchers and future grant funding. Following the fellowship, she plans to build a cosmology research group at Kent State and attract new students interested in exploring fundamental questions about the universe.
The Simons Pivot Fellowship supports established scientists as they transition into new disciplines and pursue ambitious new directions. For Kent State alumni and supporters, this recognition reflects the strength of the university’s faculty and its growing national reputation for research excellence.
From probing the dense cores of neutron stars to exploring the vast architecture of the cosmos, Dexheimer’s work embodies the spirit of discovery that continues to move Kent State forward.