B. Scott Gaudi has made a name for himself not only as a planet-hunter, but as a planet-finder. Gaudi is not interested in just any planets, but in exoplanets—those that lay beyond our Solar System. 

In the past 10 years, he estimates that he has found “over a dozen exoplanets.”

Gaudi is quick to point out that this is not a one-man hunt, but a collaborative endeavor, involving partnerships with other professional and amateur astronomers worldwide.

But it is Gaudi who has led several of these quests with collaborative teams, and it is his expertise and leadership in this area that prompted Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to offer him a two-year Distinguished Visiting Scientist appointment.

JPL’s Distinguished Visiting Scientist Program was designed to bring in leading scientists from around the country, who will enrich their program.

Gaudi, who has accepted the appointment, explains why this is an offer that a planet-hunter cannot pass up, “JPL is one of NASA's major research and mission development centers, where more than 5,000 scientists and engineers are working to develop technologies and build missions that enable cutting-edge science in a variety of areas.

“In particular, members of JPL play a leading role in NASA's contributions to the study of exoplanets through their efforts in the Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP).

“As a Distinguished Visiting Scientist, I will interface with JPL scientists and engineers, sharing with them my expertise in exoplanet surveys and learning from them about important emerging technologies that may be relevant for exoplanet research.

“Also, I will be helping to develop ExEP future priorities, defining the science goals of current and future NASA exoplanet missions, and brainstorming about visionary future paths for the field.”

The good news for his graduate students and Ohio State’s exceptional astronomy program is that even though the appointment runs for two years, Gaudi won’t be in California for extended periods of time.

“My time commitment to JPL will be about two months a year,” Gaudi said. “That's the total integrated time and I will be spending this time in bits and pieces—some time will be spent at JPL during two-week visits—and some work will be done remotely.

“I am very excited about this DVS opportunity. It will allow me to broaden my expertise, knowledge and impact as an astronomer and it presents a logical next step in my career.”

--Sandi Rutkowski