Ben Hord

I am a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow in the Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory searching for exoplanets and studying their formation, atmospheres, and system architectures in a search for life in the universe.

I obtained a BA in Astrophysics and a BA in History from Columbia University in 2018. After this, I attended the University of Maryland, College Park where I received my MS in Astronomy in 2020 and PhD in Astronomy in 2023. During my time at the University of Maryland, I conducted the vast majority of my thesis research with the TESS group at NASA Goddard.

While I am interested in many facets of exoplanet science, much of my works revolves around discovering and studying unique planetary systems. From hot Jupiters with nearby companions to Earth-sized planets in their star's habitable zone, I am on the hunt for weird systems that provide us insight into topics such as planet formation and habitability, drawing population-level conclusions where possible. I am an expert in the search for, vetting, and validation of new exoplanet candidates and have discovered or helped discover dozens of planets, including the TOI-700 system (a system with two habitable zone, Earth-sized planets), WASP-132 c (a rare small nearby companion to a hot Jupiter), and the LHS 1678 system (a planetary system around a star straddling a gap between fully and partially convective).

Currently, I also work on the Pandora SmallSat mission, a space-based observatory set to launch in early 2026. Pandora will observe at least 20 exoplanets system to search for water, clouds, and hazes -- all potential signatures of life -- as well as study the activity of their host starts in order to achieve precise atmospheric characterizations by quantifying the stellar spectral variability. I am a member of Pandora's Science Team and a key leader in the mission's Science Operations Center. My work is instrumental in the generation of the mission's target list, planning the observation schedule, and software tool development, among other ancillary roles.

PhD in Astronomy -- 2023, University of Maryland, College Park

MS in Astronomy -- 2020, University of Maryland, College Park

BA in Astrophysics, BA in History -- 2018, Columbia University

• Robert H. Goddard Award - Exceptional Achievement for Science, NASA -- 2024
• Center-wide award given to employees at NASA Goddard for exceptional scientific contribution
• NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowship, NASA -- 2023
• Three year prize postdoctoral fellowship to pursue independent research at a NASA center
• Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology Award, NASA -- 2020
• $135,000 to fund a 3-year graduate student project led by an individual recognized for their potential to contribute to the field
• Dean's Fellowship, University of Maryland -- 2018
• Recruitment award given to exceptional graduate program applicants
• Wentzel Fellowship, University of Maryland Astronomy -- 2018
• Recruitment award given to one exceptional graduate program applicant per year
• Columbia University Dean's List, Columbia University -- 2016, 2017, 2018