Expand sub-menus

KARL R STAPELFELDT

Photo of KARL STAPELFELDT

KARL R STAPELFELDT

  • Chief, Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory
  • 301.286.3328
  • Org Code: 667
  • NASA/GSFC
  • Mail Code: 667
  • Greenbelt, MD 20771
  • Employer: NASA

    • Research Interests

    Protoplanetary and Debris disks

    Optical, infrared, and millimeter wave observations
    Scattered light and spectral energy distribution modeling
     

    Imaging of Extrasolar Planets

    Near-infrared adaptive optics surveys of nearby stars
    Coronagraph instrument development and data analysis techniques
    Studies of future probe-scale and flagship-scale space missions
     

    Star Formation

    Surveys of nearby molecular clouds
    Structure and evolution of Herbig-Haro flows

    Current Projects

    HST Cycle 19 GO program 12514 "Imaging of Newly-identified Edge-on Protoplanetary Disks in Nearby Star-Forming Regions"

    Principal Investigator

    Herschel DUNES Open Time Key Project

    PACS survey of nearby stars for far-infrared excess emission.  U.S. PI

    Spitzer Cycle 8 GO: "Characterization of New Herbig-Haro Flows in the Taurus Star Formation Region"

    Principal Investigator

    Herschel Open Time: "PACS Photometry of Nearby Warm Debris Disk Systems from the WISE All-Sky Survey"

    co-Investigator with Dr. Deborah Padgett (GSFC)

    Herschel Open Time: "Debris Disks around Planet-Bearing Stars"

    co-Investigator with Dr. Geoff Bryden (JPL)

    HST Cycle 18 GO program 12291 "STIS coronagraphy of Spitzer-selected debris disks:

    co-Investigator with Mr. John Krist (JPL)

    NASA ADAP :"Diversity in Debris Disks: Snapshots of Planetary System Evolution"

    co-Investigator with Kate Su (U of Arizona)

    PMDAP: "The Faint Tail of the Asteroid Size Distribution"

    co-Investigator with Dr. Dean Hines (STScI)

    HST GO Cycle 16+: "Particle separation in and expansion of the dust arcs of the young star V1331 Cyg"

    co-I with Dr. Bringfried Stecklum (Tautenburg)

    HST Cycle 16 GO: "Probing the Atomic and Molecular Inventory of a Beta-Pic Analog, the Young, Edge-On Debris Disk of HD32297"

    co-I with Dr. Seth Redfield (Wesleyan U.)

    Positions/Employment

    Chief, Laboratory for Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics 8/2011 - Present
    NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD
    Visiting Scientist, Exoplanet Study Program 3/2010 - 4/2010
    Kavli Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
    Principal Scientist 10/2005 - 8/2011
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA
    Deputy Project Scientist, Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph pre-project 6/2005 - 1/2007
    NASA/JPL/Caltech, Pasadena CA
    Acting Project Scientist, Terrestrial Planet Finder Corongraph pre-project 10/2004 - 5/2005
    NASA/JPL/Caltech, Pasadena CA
    Research Scientist 10/2000 - 9/2005
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA
    Coronagraph Study Scientist, Terrestrial Planet Finder pre-project 11/2002 - 10/2004
    NASA/JPL/Caltech, Pasadena CA
    Visiting Scientist 6/2002 - 7/2002
    Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Universite de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
    Spitzer Space Telescope Project Science Office 2/1999 - 7/2011
    NASA/JPL/Caltech, Pasadena CA
    Associate Member, Spitzer/MIPS Instrument Science Team 6/1999 - 7/2011
    NASA/JPL/Caltech, Pasadena CA
    Staff Scientist 3/1994 - 9/2000
    NASA/JPL/Caltech, Pasadena CA
    Associate Member, HST/WFPC2 Instrument Science Team 3/1994 - 9/1999
    NASA/JPL/Caltech, Pasadena CA
    Postdoctoral Fellow 3/1993 - 2/1994
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA
    Postdoctoral Research Associate 10/1990 - 2/1993
    Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA
    NASA Graduate Student Research Fellow 10/1988 - 9/1990
    JPL/Caltech, Pasadena CA

    Teaching Experience

    Visiting Lecturer in Astronomy, University of Southern California, Spring 1999
    Visiting Lecturer in Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Winter 1995-6
     

    Education

    Ph.D. Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology 1991

    B.S.E. Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Physics, Princeton University 1984

    Professional Societies

    American Astronomical Society and its Division for Planetary Sciences , 1994- Present
    member
    International Astronomical Union, 2000- Present
    American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1985- Present

    Professional Service

         Scientific Organizing Committee, Signposts of Planets Conference (April 2011)
         Scientific Organizing Committee, Subaru Conference on Exoplanets and Disks (March 2009)
         Scientific Organizing Committee, Spitzer Science conference (Nov 2008)
         Scientific Organizing Committee, "Spirit of Lyot" conference (June 2007)
         Scientific Organizing Committee, Cool Stars XIV conference (Nov 2006)
         Local Organizing Committee, Protostars and Planets V meeting (Oct 2005)
         Hubble Space Telescope Users' Committee (2001-2003)
         Special Session Organizer "The Promise and Pitfalls of High Contrast
             Imaging", American Astronomical Sociey 198th meeting (June 2001)
         Science Advisory Committee, Protostars and Planets IV meeting (July 1998)
     

    Awards

    2009 Newcomb-Cleveland Award, American Association for the Advancement of Science

    2004 NASA Group Achievement Award, Spitzer Space Telescope Payload Team

    1994 NASA Group Achievement Award, WideField/Planetary Camera II Science Team

    1994 NASA Group Achievement Award, WideField/Planetary Camera II Calibration Team

     

                                                                                                                                                                                            
    NASA Logo, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    • NASA Official:
    • Curator:
    • Last Updated: 05/23/2013