Department/College/UnitPhysical & Biological Sciences Division

TitleEmeritus Distinguished Professor/Astronomer
Astronomy & Astrophysics

AffiliationFaculty

Web SiteWeb

Additional Location(s)ISB 343

Mail StopUCO / Lick Observatory

Biography, Education and Training

A.B., Physics, U.C. Berkeley, 1972
A.B., Astronomy, U.C. Berkeley, 1972
M.S., Astronomy, U. of Texas at Austin, 1976
Ph.D., Astronomy, U. of Texas at Austin, 1978

Research Interests

My current research is focussed on the detection and characterization of planets around nearby stars. This work involves using high resolution spectroscopy on large telescopes to obtain meter/second precision radial velocities, through which planets can be detected, sensing the reflex barycentric motion of their host star. I also do a lot if instrumentation development in support of this research. I am in the latter stages of commissioning a 2.4-m Automated Planet Finder telescope atop Mt. Hamilton, and am also working on an early-light spectrometer called MTHR for the Thirty-Meter Telescope.