Fulvio Melia is professor of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Mathematics at the University of Arizona. He is an internationally recognized leader in astrophysics and cosmology, having previously published over 300 refereed papers and seven books in these fields, for which he has received major prizes, including the PROSE award from the Association of American Publishers, recognizing distinguished professional and scholarly books. He has also served as associate editor of the Astrophysical Journal and Astrophysical Journal Letters and has been the recipient of the prestigious Presidential Young Investigator award for innovative research in the United States.