Rachel Fernandes
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona
Research Focus
About Rachel
I am a Ph.D. candidate at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory & the Department of Planetary Sciences at The University of Arizona where I work with Dr. Ilaria Pascucci and Dr. Gijs Mulders on the detection, characterization and demographics of exoplanetary systems using data from both ground- and space-based telescopes.
My current research focuses on the detection and characterization of close-in, transiting young exoplanets with the Transiting Exoplanet Sky Satellite (TESS). I will be comparing these planets to the close-in but older planet population detected by the Kepler mission in order to understand how they evolve over time.
My research background in planet formation spans from my undergraduate work at the University of Cincinnati from where I hold a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Astrophysics and Physics. I worked with Dr. Mike Sitko to model the NIR variability and the outer structures of the dust component of disks around Herbig Ae/Be stars.
Honors
2021 - ExoExplorer, ExoPAG Executive Committee and the NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program
2020 - Caltech/IPAC Visiting Graduate Fellow
2019 - Curson Travel Award
2018, 2019 - Galileo Circle Scholar Fellowship
2016 - Sarah Blank Greenholz Scholarship
2015-2016 - The University of Cincinnati, Department of Physics, Physics Scholarship
2015 - Women In Science and Engineering (WISE) Grant
2013 - 2017 - International Outreach Scholarship
Education
Master's
Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 12/2019
Bachelor's
Physics, University of Cincinnati, 05/2017
Astrophysics, University of Cincinnati, 05/2017
