Papers
3
Total Citations
280
H-Index
3
About
Robert Blum is a leading experimental cosmologist whose work is central to two of the most ambitious ground-based astronomical projects of the 21st century: the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). His primary research focuses on dark energy, large-scale structure, and the development of precision instrumentation for cosmology. Blum’s most significant contribution is his leadership in the design and construction of DESI, a Stage-IV experiment that will map tens of millions of galaxies and quasars to measure baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) and the growth of cosmic structure. His foundational paper on the DESI instrument design has garnered over 230 citations, underscoring its importance to the field. In 2023, Blum co-authored the first detection of the BAO signal from early DESI data, a landmark result that validates the instrument’s performance and paves the way for transformative measurements of dark energy. Earlier in his career, he played a key role in developing the site testing system for the Thirty Meter Telescope, demonstrating his long-standing commitment to building the next generation of astronomical facilities.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1The DESI Experiment Part II: Instrument Design234 citations · 2016
- 2First detection of the BAO signal from early DESI data37 citations · 2023
- 3The Thirty Meter Telescope site testing system9 citations · 2004