Biography:
Jessie Christiansen is an Australian astrophysicist, known for her groundbreaking work on exoplanets. She currently works at the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and has made significant contributions to the field. Christiansen’s passion for science and her dedication to uncovering the mysteries of the universe have made her a respected figure in the scientific community.
Education:
In 2002, Jessie Christiansen completed a Bachelor of Science (Advanced Studies) in physics and mathematics at Griffith University in Brisbane. She then pursued her studies further, obtaining a BSc first class honours in Astronomy at the Australian National University in Canberra. In 2007, Christiansen completed her PhD at the University of New South Wales, under the supervision of Michael Ashley. Her research for her PhD required observations at the Automated Patrol Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory.
Career:
After completing her PhD, Christiansen worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. It was during this time that she became involved in the NASA Kepler mission, which aimed to catalog the exoplanets within the Kepler field. As a member of the Kepler Science Team, Christiansen made significant contributions to the mission and was awarded the NASA Group Achievement Award in 2010.
Christiansen’s work on the Kepler mission led to her involvement in the planning for the upcoming NASA TESS mission, which will search the entire sky for the nearest planets to Earth. She is known for her use of Citizen Science and the Zooniverse platform to analyze the Kepler Space Telescope K2 dataset. Christiansen worked with Professor Ian Crossfield at MIT to ensure that the K2 data was made public.
In January 2018, Christiansen announced the discovery of five massive exoplanets orbiting the sun-like star K2-138. These exoplanets formed the longest chain of synchronized exoplanets ever discovered, orbiting in near-perfect resonance to their star. This discovery pushed the boundaries of our understanding of exoplanet systems.
Christiansen’s commitment to public engagement and the popularization of science is noteworthy. She is a frequent plenary speaker at academic conferences and gives public talks about her research. Christiansen has also appeared on television programs such as NASA’s Unexplained Files, where she discussed her work in astrophysics. Additionally, she recorded a panel discussion at Caltech, discussing the science behind the Syfy series The Expanse. Christiansen’s passion for science extends beyond the screen, as she appears in Ali Alvarez’s upcoming documentary Under The Same Stars, focusing on American women astrophysicists.
Furthermore, Christiansen shares her knowledge and expertise through various popular science podcasts and has written for reputable science websites, including the New Scientist, Smithsonian Magazine, and BBC News. Her contributions to science communication have helped the general public gain a deeper understanding of exoplanets and the importance of research in this field.
Awards:
– 2010: NASA Group Achievement Award as a member of the Kepler Science Team
– 2018: NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal for her work on the Kepler planet sample
Through her groundbreaking research, dedication to public engagement, and commitment to the advancement of science, Jessie Christiansen has made significant contributions to the field of astrophysics. Her work on the Kepler mission and the discovery of synchronized exoplanets have shaped our understanding of the universe. Christiansen’s passion for science and her role in women’s history has inspired a new generation of scientists to explore the vast expanse of space.