Marta Burgay

After graduating in Astronomy from the University of Bologna in 2000, Marta Burgay earned her PhD in 2004. A few months later, she joined the Cagliari Astronomical Observatory, where she works on compact objects and, in particular, the study of radio pulsars. Since 2014, she has been part of the operations team of the Sardinia Radio Telescope . Since 2025, she has been chair of the pulsar working group at the SKA Observatory .
His scientific work focuses on astrophysics and the study of neutron stars, with a particular focus on the radio emission of pulsars. His name is linked to the discovery of the binary system J0737-3039A/B, the first system consisting of two pulsars, a prime laboratory for testing general relativity.
Studies on the double pulsar have enabled precise tests of relativistic gravity and gravitational waves. In 2025, a study on the double pulsar, with participation from INAF, received the Frontiers of Physics Award at the International Congress of Basic Science in Beijing; the award was also accepted by Marta Burgay, who INAF identified as one of the discoverers of the double pulsar.
She participates in international projects on pulsars and radio transients, including the European Pulsar Timing Array and the TRAPUM project. She is the author and co-author of scientific articles in international journals; her updated Google Scholar profile has over 14,900 citations. She has received awards such as the Tacchini Prize, the Descartes Prize as a member of the PulSE group, the SIGrav Prize, the IUPAP Young Scientist Prize , the Vainu Bappu Award, and the Marsden Prize.