Characterization of exoplanets via direct-imaging spectroscopy

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA's missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology. This specific postdoctoral fellowship focuses on characterizing the atmosphere, climate, and potential habitability of small rocky exoplanets through direct-imaging spectroscopy. The research involves a multidisciplinary approach combining astrophysics, planetary science, and statistics to anticipate the types of planets that will be discovered by future direct-imaging space missions. The postdoc fellow will combine numerical simulations, Bayesian retrievals, and experiences of solar-system exploration to address questions about distinguishing rocky planets from volatile-rich ones, determining liquid-water oceans, and understanding planetary evolution. The fellow will work with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope coronagraph technology and develop methods for future flagship missions searching for Earth-like habitable exoplanets.