Chief Scientist, NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program
Education
PhD., Astrophysics with graduate minor in Planetary Sciences, Caltech (1991)
B.S.E., Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Physics, Princeton University (1984)
Professional Experience
Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Astrophysics & Space Sciences Section
Senior Research Scientist (2021-present)
Chief Scientist, NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program (2016-present)
Principal Scientist (2005-2011)
Research Scientist (2000-2005)
Scientist (1994-2000)
Postdoctoral Fellow (1993-1994)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center – Astrophysics Science Division
Chief, Laboratory for Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics (2011-2016)
University of Massachusetts at Amherst – Department of Astronomy
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (1990-1993)
Research Interests
Astrophysics: Protoplanetary and debris disks, exoplanets, star formation
Techniques: Optical, infrared, and mm-wave observations; coronagraphy; scattered light and spectral energy distribution modeling of circumstellar disks
Missions: Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Science Team, Spitzer Space Telescope Project Science Office, Herschel Space Observatory, LBTI Exozodi Key Science Team
Muhlmann Award from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific to the Spitzer Space Telescope Team (2010)
AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Award (2009)
Selected Publications
Stapelfeldt, K., Rauer, H., Roberge, A., and Mandel, A. 2021 “Space Missions for Exoplanet Science”, Chapter 9 in EXOFRONTIERS: BIG QUESTIONS IN EXOPLANETARY SCIENCE (invited review chapter), N. Madhusudhan ed. IOP Press, in press
Villenave, M., Ménard, F., Dent, W. R. F., Duchêne, G., Stapelfeldt, K. R. et al. 2020 "Observations of edge-on protoplanetary disks with ALMA. I. Results from continuum data" A.&A. 642 A164
Faramaz, V., Krist, J.E., Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. 2019 "From Scattered-light to Millimeter Emission: A Comprehensive View of the Gigayear-old System of HD 202628 and its Eccentric Debris Ring " A.J. 158 162
Robinson, T., Stapelfeldt, K., Marley, M (2016) “Characterizing Rocky and Gaseous Exoplanets with 2-meter Class Space-based Coronagraphs: General Considerations” P.A.S.P. 128 5003
Krist, J., Stapelfeldt, K., Bryden, G., and Plavchan, P. (2012) "Hubble Space Telescope Observations of the HD 202628 Debris Disk", A.J. 144 45
Su, K.Y.L, Rieke, G.H, Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (2009) “The Debris Disk around HR 8799”, Ap.J. 678 985
Kalas, P. et al. (2008) "Optical Images of an Exosolar Planet 25 Light-Years from Earth" Science 322 1345
Rebull, L.M., Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (2008) “Spitzer/MIPS Observations of Stars in the beta Pictoris Moving Group” Ap.J. 681 1484
Watson, A.M., Stapelfeldt, K.R., Wood, K., and Menard, F. (2007) "Multiwavelength Imaging of Young Stellar Object Disks: Toward an Understanding of Disk Structure and Dust Evolution", in PROTOSTARS AND PLANETS V., B. Reipurth, D. Jewitt, and K. Kiel eds, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 523-538.
Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (2004) “First Look at the Fomalhaut Debris Disk with the Spitzer Space Telescope", Ap.J.Suppl. 154 458
Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (2003) “Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Imaging of the Disk and Jet of HV Tauri C", Ap.J. 589 410
Krist, J., Stapelfeldt, K. et al. (2000) “WFPC2 Images of a Face-On Disk Surrounding TW Hydrae", Ap.J. 538 793.
McCaughrean, M., Stapelfeldt, K., and Close, L. (2000) "High Resolution Optical and near-Infrared Imaging of Young Circumstellar Disks", review arcticle in PROTOSTARS AND PLANETS IV, V. Mannings, A. Boss, and S. Russell eds., Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, p. 485
Padgett, D.L., Brandner, W., Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (1999) “HST/NICMOS Imaging of Disks and Envelopes Around Very Young Stars" A.J. 117 1490
Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (1998) “An Edge-on Circumstellar Disk in the Young Binary System HK Tauri", Ap.J. 502 L65
Burrows, C.J., Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (1996) “HST Imaging of the Disk and Jet of HH 30", Ap.J. 473 437
Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (1995) “WFPC2 Imaging of the Circumstellar Nebulosity of HL Tauri", Ap.J. 449 888
Stapelfeldt, K.R. et al. (1991) “Near Infrared Narrowband Images of Three Herbig-Haro Objects", Ap.J. 371 226