James B. Hartle is Professor of Physics at the University of California–Santa Barbara. His scientific work is concerned with the application of Einstein's relativistic theory of gravitation (general relativity) to realistic astrophysical situations, especially cosmology. He has made important contributions to the understanding of gravitational waves, relativistic stars, and black holes. Professor Hartle is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the American Philosophical Society. He is a founder and past director of the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Santa Barbara. He was awarded the 2009 Einstein Prize of the American Physical Society for his work on gravitational physics.
