For forging connections between art and science, and bringing excitement to the public through artistry, creativity, and scientific credentials
Randall is considered one of the most influential theoretical physicists of the past decade. Her scientific research explores gaps in our current understanding of the properties and interaction of matter, such as why gravity is weaker than other fundamental forces and what is the nature of dark matter.
Randall has used art to communicate some of the exotic ideas that stem from her research efforts. At the invitation of composer Hector Parra, she wrote the libretto for the opera “Hypermusic Prologue: A Projective Opera in Seven Planes.” The opera, which features contrasting tempos and transitions into electronically altered music, delves into the concept of extra dimensions and premiered in 2009 at the Pompidou Centre in Paris. Randall also co-curated the Los Angeles Art Association exhibit Measure for Measure, which examined the important scientific concept of scale through the lens of contemporary art.
Randall has written two acclaimed popular science books: Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe’s Hidden Dimensions and Knocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World. She has made numerous radio and TV appearances, including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Charlie Rose.
Randall is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the American Physical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and holds several honorary degrees.
Randall earned her Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1987 and held professorships at MIT and Princeton University before returning to Harvard in 2001.