Our Researchers: Bridging Earth & Exoplanets

Learn more about the talented researchers and scientists driving innovation at the Munich Center for Geoastronomy.

Bethany Burt

PhD Candidate

Research Focus: Chemistry of exoplanet atmospheres 

Dr. Alexander (Alex) Cridland

Staff Scientist

Research Focus: Planet formation theory; astrochemistry of protoplanetary disks; planetary atmospheres

Prof. Dr. Donald Bruce Dingwell

Founding Member | Retired Professor of Mineralogy, Petrology, and Volcanology

Matthias Heim

PhD Candidate

Research Focus: Deciphering the spectra of exoplanetary atmospheres using modern statistical tools and machine learning.

Prof. Dr. Kevin Heng

Co-Director | Professor and Chair of Theoretical Astrophysics of Extrasolar Planets

Dr. Janhvi Jaiswal

Scientific Coordinator

Science, strategy and outreach to keep research, events, people and partnerships aligned and moving towards shared project goals

Leonard Kramer

Master's Student | Assistant & Webmaster, MCGA Coordination Office

Prof. Dr. Yan Lavallée

Co-Director | Professor and Chair of Magmatic Petrology and Volcanology

Jebraan Mudholkar

Master's Student | Assistant, MCGA Coordination Office

Mass measurements of Ariel targets with Wendelstein, exoplanets around hot, rapidly rotating stars

Jim Shih

PhD Candidate

Research Focus: Atmospheric escape of exoplanets; exoplanet atmosphere in UV

Dr. Meng Tian

Staff Scientist

Research Focus: Geodynamics; petrology; geochemistry; exoplanets