James Webb Space Telescope, Observatory Project Scientist

Extrasolar planets

Webb sets out to study the Universe in the infrared, where it will observe first light and reionization, the assembly of galaxies, the birth of stars and protoplanetary systems, and planets and the origins of life. It is the largest space telescope realized to date, with a 6.5 m segmented primary mirror that must be folded to fit within its Ariane 5 launcher fairing. This infrared telescope is passively cooled using a five-layer sunshield that will keep the optical telescope and its four science instruments in the shade throughout the lifetime of the mission in an L2 orbit. The Observatory Project Scientist works with the Observatory Project Manager and Mission Systems Engineering team to ensure that the Observatory meets the required scientific performance, by providing scientific oversight and review of the requirements development, design, construction, integration, test, calibration, and delivery of the Observatory.

Exoplanet Spectroscopy Technologies (ExoSpec) Work Package, Principal Investigator

Extrasolar planets

Our work package links four efforts at Goddard that enable future missions to more efficiently characterize directly imaged exoplanets. Our emphasis on system-level spectroscopy optimization prepares for future exo-Earth characterization missions, complements the existing technology development plans of the Roman Space Telescope, and addresses recognized Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) technology and science gaps. The technologies involved include high contrast integral field spectroscopy, parabolic deformable mirrors, and photon-counting radiation hard detectors. There is a separate spectral retrieval effort that uses our end-to-end integrated modeling, incorporating the new technologies, to assess the scientific yield of missions with varying levels of technological capabilities. ExoSpec is a technology-focused program that complements the Sellers Exoplanet Environments Collaboration (SEEC) work package led in Goddard's Planetary Science Division.

NEID Extreme Precision Radial Velocity Spectrograph, Instrument Scientist

Extrasolar planets

NEID is an extreme precision doppler spectrometer that operates at the WIYN telescope. It was designed to achieve single point radial velocity precisions of ~27 cm/s on bright stars, which enables the discovery of Earth and super-Earth mass habitable-zone planets that are prime candidates for future NASA direct imaging missions, follow-up of TESS- and K2-discovered transiting exoplanets to measure planet mass, density, and orbital dynamics, accurate spectroscopic characterization of exoplanet host stars, and the measurement of dynamical properties for circumbinary and binary stars discovered by TESS. NEID precision radial velocities will also be used to monitor key spectral indicators across its bandpass to revolutionize our understanding of stellar activity and enable cutting-edge science towards 10 cm/s. NEID is supported through the NASA/NSF partnership called NN-EXPLORE.

PISCES: Advancing High Contrast Imaging Technologies with Integral Field Spectroscopy, Principal Investigator

Extrasolar planets

The Prototype Imaging Spectrograph for Coronagraphic Exoplanet Studies (PISCES) is a novel optical high-contrast integral field spectrograph (IFS) for demonstrations of direct exoplanet characterization. PISCES was integrated within the NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program High Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and carried out a performance demonstration as part of the Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph Instrument's (CGI) technology program. PISCES demonstrated the highest broadband contrast performance to date of 1.09x10^-8 contrast in 18% bandpass using a shaped pupil coronagraph. Integral field spectroscopy is ideal for high contrast imaging, because in addition to spectral characterization of exoplanet atmospheres, the data products will also sample the chromatic effects of the telescope optical assembly. It is critical to correct for the aberrations introduced by the telescope optical assembly using focal plane wavefront sensing techniques. A PISCES-type instrument is baselined for the LUVOIR and HabEx large mission concepts, as well as the Exo-C and Exo-S Probe mission concepts.

Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

2007 - Present

American Astronomical Soceity (AAS)

2001 - Present