Dr. Raffaella Margutti

Associate Professor

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Biography

Raffaella Margutti received her undergraduate degree in Astrophysics in 2006 with magna cum laude honors and completed her PhD in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Milano Bicocca in 2010. She is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Astronomy and Physics at the University of California, Berkeley. Margutti was a Sloan Fellow in Physics in 2019 and a CIFAR global scholar in Gravity and Extreme Universe in the same year. In 2022, she received the New Horizons in Physics Prize for her work in establishing the foundations of electromagnetic observations of sources of gravitational waves. She leads a research team focused on Multi-Messenger Astrophysics, investigating violent transient astrophysical phenomena in the universe, including stellar eruptions, explosions, and mergers of neutron stars and black holes. Her research aims to better understand the physical processes that govern these dramatic displays through panchromatic observations across the electromagnetic spectrum, including gamma-rays, X-rays, UV, optical, IR, and radio waves.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of California, Berkeley

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GRE Subject
Overall Score
Required:500
Overall
Required:500
TOEFL
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent Preparation comparable to undergraduate major at Berkeley in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics 2 full years lower-division work (Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus) 8 one-semester upper-division courses (Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Abstract Algebra, Linear Algebra)
Application Checklist
  • Graduate Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Unofficial Transcripts
  • C.V./Resume
  • Course and Textbook List
Specialization Notes

The Mathematics Subject GRE is required for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. General GRE is optional.