Benjamin Lehmann

Ben Lehmann’s research is dedicated to understanding the nature and properties of dark matter.

Until recently, all signs pointed to a scenario in which dark matter is associated with new particle physics near the weak scale. But new experimental results have seriously challenged the most promising benchmark models, suggesting that the dark matter particle and its interactions could instead lie anywhere in an enormous parameter space.

Ben’s work focuses on probing this vast space by connecting dark matter particle physics to novel experimental and observational tools, including condensed matter systems, cosmological surveys and gravitational waves.

Ben grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and has been a long-time resident of the region. He went from a local high school to Stanford University, where he received a B.S. with honors in physics and an M.S. in mathematics. Ben then traveled down the coast to the University of California, Santa Cruz, for his Ph.D.

Ben joined MIT as a Pappalardo Fellow in 2022. He began a new position as an NASA Einstein Fellow in 2026. Ben was the 2026 recipient of the Michelson Postdoctoral Prize Lectureship Award in recognition of exceptional research work, and he also received MIT’s Infinite Expansion Award for service to the MIT community.

Beyond research, Ben is passionate about mentoring students and engaging in outreach to the wider community. He has taught everywhere from elementary schools to correctional facilities. Ben also enjoys singing, hiking, and a good loaf of challah.