Name:

Dr. Diana Dragomir

Title:

Assistant Professor

Department:

Physics and Astronomy

Describe your research in about 200 words.

My research focuses on the demographics and atmospheres of exoplanets smaller than Neptune and orbiting bright, nearby stars. I measure their sizes with the TESS space telescope, and their masses using a variety of ground-based observatories. I use observations from the Hubble, Spitzer and (soon) James Webb space telescopes to investigate the atmospheres of these planets. I combine all these data to better understand the physical properties and formation of small exoplanets, and how these depend on the planets’ orbits and the properties of their host stars.

What’s the most interesting thing you have learned from a student?

Stories of perseverance through adversity.