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Eric Mamajek

Photo of Eric Mamajek

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 321-100

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

(818) 354-2153

Fax:

(818) 393-4950

Curriculum Vitae:

Click here

Member of:

Exoplanet Systems

Deputy Program Scientist Exoplanet Exploration Program

Education

  • PhD., Astronomy, The University of Arizona (2004)
  • M.S., Astronomy, The University of Arizona (2001)
  • M.Sc., Physics, The University of New South Wales (2000)
  • B.S., Astronomy & Astrophysics, Physics, The Pennsylvania State University (1998)

Professional Experience

  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Astrophysics & Space Sciences Section
    • Principal Scientist (2022-)
    • Discipline Program Manager Exoplanets, Astrophysics and Heliophysics Research & Analysis Program, Astronomy & Physics Directorate (2020-2024)
  • University of Rochester - Department of Physics & Astronomy (2008-2016)
    • Visiting Professor (2016)
    • Professor (2016)
    • Associate Professor (2013-2016)
    • Assistant Professor (2008-2013)
  • Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO)
    • Associate Astronomer, Blanco Telescope Scientist (2011-2012)
  • Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
    • Clay Postdoctoral Fellow (2004-2008)

Community Service

  • 2019-2020 Co-chair, Steering Committee, IAU100 NameExoWorlds campaign
  • 2018- Organizing Committee, IAU Commission F2 Exoplanets and the Solar System
  • 2016- Chair, IAU Working Group Star Names (WGSN)

Research Interests

I’m interested in the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, the science and technology that can enable the formulation of new NASA missions to discover new worlds and search for signs of life, supporting the science that can enhance the return on current and near-future NASA missions, the community of scientists that conduct that research, and training the next generation of scientists. I’m interested in improving our understanding of the formation and evolution of (exo)planetary systems – their planets, host stars, stellar and substellar companions, and circumstellar disks, and providing context for our understanding of the formation and evolution of our own solar system. I’m interested in improving our knowledge of the ages of these systems through various stellar observables and diagnostics.

Selected Awards

  • 2025 JPL North Star Award
  • 2024 NASA Group Achievement Award
  • 2023 JPL Team Award
  • 2023 NASA Team Award
  • 2021 JPL Explorer Award
  • 2020 NASA Team Award
  • 2019 Robert H. Goddard Honor Award
  • 2019 NASA Group Achievement Award

Selected Publications

Full Bibliography

  1. Tuchow., N.W., Stark, C., Mamajek, E., “HPIC: The Habitable Worlds Observatory Preliminary Input Catalog”, AJ, 167, 139, 10.3847/1538-3881/ad25ec (2024)
  2. Mamajek, E. & Stapelfeldt, K., "NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) Mission Star List for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (2023)”, 10.48550/arXiv.2402.12414
  3. Kenworthy, M., et al., “A Planetary Collision Afterglow and Transit of the Resultant Debris Cloud”, Nature, 622, 251, 10.1038/s41586-023-06573-9 (2023)
  4. Laliotis, K., Burt, J.A., Mamajek, E.E., et al., “Doppler Constraints on Planetary Companions to Nearby Sun-like Stars: An Archival Radial Velocity Survey of Southern Targets for Proposed NASA Direct Imaging Missions”, 2023, AJ, 165, 176, 10.3847/1538-3881/acc067 (2023)
  5. Zhang, Y., et al., “The 13CO-rich Atmosphere of a Young Accreting Super-Jupiter”, Nature, 595, 370, 10.1038/s41586-021-03616-x (2021)
  6. Bohn, A.J., et al., “Two Directly Imaged, Wide-orbit Giant Planets around the Young, Solar Analog TYC 8998-760-1”, ApJ, 898, L16, 10.3847/2041-8213/aba27e (2020)
  7. Bohn, A.J., et al., “The Young Suns Exoplanet Survey: Detection of a Wide-Orbit Planetary-Mass Companion to a Solar-Type Sco-Cen Member”, MNRAS, 492, 431, 10.1093/mnras/stz3462 (2020)
  8. David, T.J., et al., "Four Newborn Planets Transiting the Young Solar Analog V1298 Tau", ApJ Letters, 885, L12, 10.3847/2041-8213/ab4c99 (2019)
  9. Gagné, J., Mamajek, E.E., et al., "BANYAN. XI. The BANYAN Σ Multivariate Bayesian Algorithm to Identify Members of Young Associations with 150 pc", ApJ, 846, 23, 10.3847/1538-4357/aaae09 (2018)
  10. Burgasser, A.J. & Mamajek, E.E., "On the Age of the TRAPPIST-1 System", ApJ, 845, 110, 10.3847/1538-4357/aa7fea (2017)
  11. Pecaut, Mark J., Mamajek, Eric E., "The star formation history and accretion-disc fraction among the K-type members of the Scorpius-Centaurus OB association", MNRAS, 461, 794, doi:10.1093/mnras/stw1300 (2016).
  12. Mamajek, E. E., et al., "The Closest Known Flyby of a Star to the Solar System", Astrophysical Journal Letters, 800, L17, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/800/1/L17 (2015).
  13. Kenworthy, M. A., Mamajek, E. E., "Modeling Giant Extrasolar Ring Systems in Eclipse and the Case of J1407b: Sculpting by Exomoons?", ApJ, 800, 126, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/800/2/126 (2015).
  14. Bell, C.P.M., Mamajek, E.E., Naylor, T., "A self-consistent, absolute isochronal age scale for young moving groups in the solar neighbourhood", MNRAS, 454, 593, doi:10.1093/mnras/stv1981 (2015).
  15. Mamajek, E.E., Bell, C.P.M., "On the age of the β Pictoris moving group", MNRAS, 445, 2169, doi:10.1093/mnras/stu1894 (2014).
  16. Mamajek, E.E., et al., "Planetary Construction Zones in Occultation: Discovery of an Extrasolar Ring System Transiting a Young Sun-like Star and Future Prospects for Detecting Eclipses by Circumsecondary and Circumplanetary Disks", AJ, 143, 72, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/143/3/72 (2012).
  17. The Ages of Stars, Proceedings of International Astronomical Union Symposium No. 258 edited by E. E. Mamajek, D. R. Soderblom, & R. F. G. Wyse. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2009 (490 pgs.; ISBN-13 978-0521889896).

Projects

Habitable Worlds Observatory