Discoveries of Other Earths: Common, Habitable, Teeming?

Friday, May 3, 2013 4:00 – 6:30 PM

Speaker: Geoff Marcy, Professor of Astronomy, UC Berkeley

Location: Auditorium, Natural Sciences Building, Revelle College, UCSD.

Geoffrey Marcy is one of the pioneers and leaders in the discovery and characterization of planets around other stars. Professor Marcy’s research results have included detection of the first multiple-planet system, the first Saturn-mass planet and the first Neptune-mass planet. In recent years, Professor Marcy’s research has focused on the search for Earth-size planets around other stars. He is a co-investigator of Kepler, the NASA space-born telescope dedicated to identifying Earth-like planets and potentially helping determine how many of these planets fall in the habitable zone with the potential for supporting life. In 2012, Professor Marcy was appointed to the Alberts Chair in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

Professor Marcy is an elected member of both the National Academy of Sciences (2002) and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (2010). He is the recipient of many awards including the Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization (2009), the Shaw Prize (2005, shared with Michel Mayor), the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement (2003) and the Beatrice Tinsley prize from the American Astronomical Society (2002). Professor Marcy was also selected the Discover Magazine Space Scientist of the Year in 2003 and the California Scientist of the Year in 2000.

Abstract:
This year, astronomers harvested the first Earth-size planets ever found around other stars. Now we’re finding them by the bushel. The crop of Earths opens questions about their properties, their environments, and their suitability for life. Astronomers are using the spaceborne NASA telescope, Kepler, and the giant Keck telescope in Hawaii to observe the nature of these “earths”. Kepler, Darwin, and Fermi, are posthumously informing the chances for intelligent life on the new worlds.

Presented by:

• The James R. Arnold Lectureship Endowment fund
• The UCSD Division of Physical Sciences
• The UCSD Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
• The California Space Grant Consortium

An endowed lectureship has been established to honor Professor James R. Arnold, one of UCSD’s first faculty members and the founding chair of the Chemistry Department. If you would like to contribute to future lectures please click on the the donation form below.

Donation form for James R. Arnold Lectureship

This is a free public lecture. A reception in honor of Professor Jim Arnold will be held immediately afterwards.

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For More Information on the Lecture: Please contact Tehseen Lazzouni (tlazzouni@ucsd.edu).