Bio

I am the Fred Kavli Professor of Astrophysics, Chair of the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University, and an astronomer at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard-Smithsonian. 

My research goals are to detect and characterize planets orbiting other stars; these worlds are known as exoplanets. I am fascinated by planets in edge-on orbits, such that the planet periodically passes in front of its star. These systems offer unparalleled opportunities to determine the properties of the planet and its atmosphere. I am focusing on terrestrial exoplanets, worlds that are composed of rock and iron, which may possess thin atmospheres like that of the Earth. I am also intrigued by the physics of low-mass stars: I seek to understand how they generate magnetic fields and spin down with time, and what the resulting changes in their x-ray emission and flares mean for the atmospheres of their planets.

I enjoy working with students and postdoctoral fellows to develop new methods and facilities in pursuit of these goals. I lead the MEarth Project, I am a co-investigator in the NASA TESS Mission and the HARPS-N Spectrograph, and I am engaged in the conversion of the 1.3m telescope atop Mt. Hopkins, Arizona into an automated ultra-precise photometer known as Tierras. I recently co-chaired the National Academies’ Exoplanet Science Strategy, which describes a national strategy for the study of exoplanets and the search for life upon them. I currently co-chair the Community Science and Instrument Team of the NASA Habitable Worlds Observatory, assisting in identifying the driving science goals of HWO.

Prospective Graduate Students: I am always looking for new PhD students. I receive many email inquiries and can’t usually respond but I encourage you to apply to our program.