The following Penn State exoplanet experts are available to media to comment on the NASA Spitzer Space Telescope discovery of the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star.
Thomas Beatty, tgb15@psu.edu
Post-doctorial fellow in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beatty’s research interests include observational studies of transiting exoplanets, from detection through to follow-up characterization of their atmospheres.
Paul Robertson, pmr19@psu.edu
A Sagan post-doctorial Fellow, Robertson’s research interests include Exoplanet detection and characterization, Stellar activity in M stars and Astronomical Instrumentation.
Angie Wolfgang, akw5014@psu.edu
An NSF Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Wolfgang’s research focuses on the recently-discovered class of extrasolar planets called “super-Earths,” whose sizes are between that of Earth and Neptune.
Darren Williams, dmw145@psu.edu
Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Penn State Behrend, Williams’ research interests include Exoplanet detection, origin and dynamical evolution of planets and moons, Planetary climate and habitability, Impacts of comets and asteroids on the Earth.
Suvrath Mahadevan, sqm107@psu.edu
Associate Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Mahadevan’s research interests include plant detection outside of our solar system. His research group has been selected by NASA’s Astrophysics Division to build the NEID (NN-EXPLORE Exoplanet Investigations with Doppler Spectroscopy) to detect plants detect planets up to 200 light years away.
Rebekah Dawson, rdawson@psu.edu
Assistant Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Dawson’s research interests include Extra-solar planets, debris disks, dynamics of planetary and satellite systems, the Kuiper Belt, planet formation, signal processing.
Eric Ford, ebf11@psu.edu
Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Ford’s research centers around planet formation, the dynamical evolution of planetary systems, & extrasolar planets.
Jim Kasting, jfk4@psu.edu
Distinguished Professor of Geosciences, Kasting’s research group does calculations of the boundaries of the habitable zone.
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