Skip Navigation
Search for People:
Search for Projects:

Pin Chen

Photo of Pin Chen

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 183-301

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

818.268.6851

Fax:

818.393.4445

Curriculum Vitae:

Click here

Member of:

Planetary And Exoplanetary Atmospheres

Education

  • B.S. in Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley (1991)
  • Ph.D. in Chemical Physics, California Institute of Technology (1999)

Professional Experience

  • Deputy Technology Manager, NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program (2019 – present)
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Science Division (2000 - present)
    • Cognizant Engineer, Deep Space Atomic Clock project (2013 - 2015)
    • Research Scientist (2006 - present)
    • Group Supervisor (Acting), Atmospheric Laser Spectroscopy Group (2007)
    • Scientist (2000-2006)
  • California Institute of Technology - Visiting Associate, Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering (2007 - 2013)
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology - Research Chemist in the Time and Frequency Division (funded by National Research Council's Postdoctoral Research Associateship Program) (1999 - 2000)

Community Service

  • Co-Lead, NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program’s (ExEP) Coronagraph Technology Roadmap Working Group. 2023 – present.
  • Member, NASA Cosmic Origins Program’s Ultrastable Observatory Roadmap Team. 2023 – present.
  • Chair, Independent Review Team, NASA NESC (NASA Engineering & Safety Center) “Near Angle Scatter” Study
  • Panelist & Invited Speaker, “Starlight Suppression Technologies for the IR/O/UV Flagship” splinter session, 241st Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Seattle, WA, USA
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, CA, USA Undergraduate-Student Mentor 2007 - present Mentoring summer undergraduate research interns
  • Shadow Hills Elementary School (Fontana, CA), College & Career Week. Invited Speaker: “Searching for Life in our Galaxy & Discovering Diverse Career Paths on Earth.” May 2021
  • Howard University, Invited Graduate Seminar Speaker: “To See Another Planet Like Earth.” Oct 2020
  • Chinese-American Oceanic & Atmospheric Association, Irvine, CA Invited Speaker Spoke about career development and proposal writing in the session "Golden Keys to Success" to young researchers 2012
  • California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Invited Lecturer Presented lecture on "Extrasolar Planets: Life, Habitability, Climate, & Atmosphere" to the "Planetary Evolution & Habitability" class in the Geological & Planetary Sciences Division 2011
  • California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Invited Lecturer 2009 Presented lecture on "Atmospheric Laser Spectroscopy for In-Situ Habitability Detection" to the "Planetary Evolution & Habitability" class in the Geological & Planetary Sciences Division.
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, CA, USA Post-Doctoral Research Mentor 2011 - present
  • California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Graduate-Student Mentor/Ph.D. Thesis Committee Member 2003 - present Mentoring chemistry graduate students conducting research in spectroscopic instrumentation.
  • Nippon Institute of Technology, Saitama Prefecture, Japan Invited Lecturer 2003 Presented four lectures to graduate students in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering on advanced theories and techniques in the areas of collisional broadening of molecular lines, quantitative spectroscopic measurements, and terahertz technology. Directly advised graduate students on experimental design and data analysis techniques. Presented an "enlightenment lecture" to department faculty and general audience.
  • California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Teaching Assistant - "Fundamental Techniques of Experimental Chemistry." 1993 Instructed and supervised students in introductory undergraduate laboratory chemistry course. Teaching Assistant - "Chemical Equilibrium and Analysis Laboratory." 1993 Instructed and supervised students in conducting experiments designed to illustrate modern instrumental techniques that are currently employed in industrial and academic research. Emphasis was on determinations of chemical composition, measurement of equilibrium constants, evaluation of rates of chemical reactions, and trace-metal analysis.
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Co-Author, White Paper, Planetary and Astrobiology Decadal Survey: "Importance of Applying Abiotic / Prebiotic Chemistry to the Search for Life on Other Planets" 2020 NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program Survey on Deformable Mirror Technology
  • Expert Panelist 2020 NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program's Virtual Workshop on Wavefront Sensing
  • Member, Science Organizing Committee Apr 2020 19th Annual Mirror Technology SBIR/STTR Workshop, Redondo Beach, CA, USA
  • Member, Organizing Committee Nov 2019 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
  • Co-Author, White Paper, Astro 2020 Decadal Survey: "The Super-Earth Opportunity - Search for Habitable Exoplanets in the 2020s" Mar 2019
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Poster Award Judge, JPL Postdoc Research Day Jun 2018
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Tiger Team, NASA CAL (Cold Atom Laboratory) project: Review of the frequency-locking approach for CAL's master laser May-Jun 2017
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Poster Award Judge, JPL Postdoc Research Day Aug 2017
  • Palm Crest Elementary School, 5th Grade Class, Pasadena, CA, USA Volunteer Speaker for Space Exploration May 2017
  • Palm Crest Elementary School, Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Class, Pasadena, CA, USA Volunteer JPL Speaker Feb 2016
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Co-Lead, JPL Exoplanet Science Initiative 2016
  • Keck Institute for Space Studies, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Co-Lead, "Methane on Mars" KISS Study Program 2015 - present
  • Keck Institute for Space Studies, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Core Member, "Optical Frequency Combs for Space Applications" KISS Study Program 2015 - present
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Member, Science Team, "The Exoplanet and Comparative Planetary Systems Science Initiative" 2014 - present
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Member, Hiring Committee: Scientist III & Scientist VI, Exoplanet and Comparative Planetary Systems Science Strategic Hires 2015
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Member, Hiring Committee: Postdoctoral Research in the Exoplanetary and Comparative Planetary Sciences at JPL/Caltech 2014 - 2015
  • NASA, Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) Panelist, Proposal Review Panel 2013
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Co-Author, "Fain Object Explorer," NASA Study on Applications of Large Space Optics (SALSO) 2013
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Organizer, "UCLA-JPL Planets Meeting" workshop 2013
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Organizer, "UCLA-JPL Planets/Exoplanets Day" workshop 2011
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Member, hiring committee, staff scientist position in earth atmospheric science 2010
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Co-author, white paper on "Laboratory Spectroscopy to Support Remote Sensing of Atmospheric Composition," submitted to the National Academies Space Studies Board's Planetary Science Decadal Survey. 2009
  • Keck Institute for Space Studies, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Core member of study program: "Innovative Approaches to Exoplanet Spectra." 2009
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Co-author, "Planetscope: Exoplanet Characterization from a Balloon Platform," in response to the request for information from Astro2010: Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey Subcommittee on Programs. 2009
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Co-signer, white paper on "Exoplanet Characterization and the Search for Life," submitted to Astro2010: the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. 2009
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Member, Technical Excellence Committee 2008 - Present
  • Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Proposal Peer Reviewer 2000 - Present
  • Applied Optics, Applied Physics B, Chemical Physics Letters, Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, Science Peer Reviewer 1999 - Present
  • NASA Advanced Component Technology Program Proposal Peer Reviewer 2008
  • Earth System Scholars Network (ESSN) Member, Mission Statement Committee 2004
  • National Urban League Conference, Los Angeles, CA, USA Volunteer, Career Fair for JPL July, 2002
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Organizer, "Atmospheric Chemistry, Dynamics & Radiation Seminar Series" 2001 - 2002

Research Interests

  • Atmosphere/climate/habitability evolution and coupled hydrosphere-lithosphere-atmosphere chemistry of Solar-System and extrasolar planets
  • Coronagraph technology for exoplanet detection
  • High resolution molecular spectroscopy
  • Instrumentation for atmospheric sensing and trace-gas detection, emphasizing ultra-miniature and highly sensitive instruments

Selected Awards

  • NASA Group Achievement Award for “dedicated service and sustained exemplary performance for the Deep Space Atomic Clock Project in support of the Technology Demonstration Missions Program,” (2020)
  • Journal of the Optical Society of America Editor’s Pick for  manuscript titled “Vector vortex coronagraphy for exoplanet detection with spatially-variant diffractive waveplates,” (2019)
  • NASA Group Achievement Award for the development and tests at Mauna Kea observatories of a near-infrared Laser Frequency Comb as a wavelength standard for the detection and characterization of exoplanets, (2017)
  • JPL Team Award for contribution to the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC) Project Assembly Team, (2017)
  • JPL Voyager Award for successful organization of the two-part Keck Institute for Space Studies workshop at Caltech, (2016)
  • JPL Discovery Award for being the lead for Exoplanets informal meetings that were valuable to formulating the Exoplanets strategic initiative at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, (2016)
  • JPL Team Award for outstanding contributions to the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC) Environmental Test Team, (2015)
  • JPL Team Award for outstanding contributions to the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC) Flight Clock First Light Team, (2015)
  • JPL Team Award for outstanding contributions to the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC) Ion Trap Tube Team, (2015)
  • JPL Team Bonus Award for outstanding contributions to the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC) Project Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Team, (2013)
  • Invited Seminar, AOGS (Asia Oceania Geosciences Society) 8th Annual Meeting (2011)
  • Invited Lecture, Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (2011)
  • Invited Seminar IGPP (Institute of Geophysics Planetary Physics), UCLA (2011)
  • Invited Lecture, Planetary Evolution & Habitability course, California Institute of Technology, (2011)
  • Study-program Core Member & invited speaker, Keck Institute for Space Studies, (2009)
  • NASA Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of valuable contribution and outstanding support to the Advanced Technologies (ACT) program and the NASA Earth Science Technology Office, (2009)
  • Invited Lecture, Planetary Evolution & Habitability course, California Institute of Technology, (2009)
  • JPL Team Bonus Award for the successful balloon flight of the Planetscope Precursor Experiment, (2008)
  • Invited Seminar, The Center for Adaptive Optics, (2007)
  • NASA Group Achievement Award for the Molecular Spectroscopy Team (2006)
  • NASA Group Achievement Award for participating in the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder Instrument project (2005)
  • NASA New Investigator Program Award (2002 - 2005)
  • NASA Group Achievement Award for participating in Balloon Observations of the Stratosphere (2004)
  • Invited lectures, Nippon Institute of Technology, Japan (2003)
  • National Research Council's Postdoctoral Research Associateship (1999 - 2000)
  • NASA New Technology Reporting Award for Tunable Terahertz Source Using Near Infrared Diode Lasers (NPO- 20636, 1999)

Selected Publications

  1. Potier, A, Ruane, G., Stark, C., Chen, P., Chopra, A., Dewell, L., Juanola-Parramon, R., Nordt, A., Pueyo, L., Redding, D., Riggs, AJ E., Sirbu D., "Adaptive optics performance of a simulated coronagraph instrument on a large, segmented space telescope in steady state," J. Astron. Telesc. Instrum. Syst. 8(3), 035002-1, doi: 10.1117/1.JATIS.8.3.035002, 2022.
  2. West, R.A., Dumont, P., Hu R., Natraj, V., Breckinridge, J., Chen, P., “Spectropolarimetry as a Means to Address Cloud Composition and Habitability for a Cloudy Exoplanetary Atmosphere in the Habitable Zone,” Astrophys. J., 940(183), https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac9b42, 2022.
  3. Yan, S., Chen, P., Wade, M.I., Gill, T.L., “Optimal pupil basis set for telescope-coronagraph design and perturbation analysis based on the method of moments,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, 39(12), 2422, https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAA.472995, 2022. Potier, A, Ruane, G., Stark, C., Chen, P., Chopra, A., Dewell, L., Juanola-Parramon, R., Nordt, A., Pueyo, L., Redding, D., Riggs, AJ E., Sirbu D., "Adaptive optics performance of a simulated coronagraph instrument on a large, segmented space telescope in steady state," J. Astron. Telesc. Instrum. Syst. 8(3), 035002 (2022), doi: 10.1117/1.JATIS.8.3.035002.
  4. Klusman, R.W., Luo Y.-C., Chen, P., Yung, Y.L., Tallapragada, S., “Seasonality in Mars atmospheric methane driven by microseepage, barometric pumping, and adsorption,” Icarus, 383(2022), 115079,DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115079, 2022.
  5. Ruane, G.; Wallace, J. K.; Steeves, J.; Prada, C. M.; Seo, B. J.; Bendek, E.; Coker, C.; Chen, P.; Crill, B.; Jewell, J.; Kern, B.; Marx, D.; Poon, P. K.; Redding, D.; Riggs, A. J. E.; Siegler, N.; Zimmer, R. “Wavefront sensing and control in space-based coronagraph instruments using Zernike's phase-contrast method,” Journal of Astronomical Telescopes Instruments and Systems, 6(4), DOI: 10.1117/1.JATIS.6.4.045005, 2020
  6. Serabyn, G; Mejia Prada, C; Chen, P; Mawet, D. “Vector vortex coronagraphy for exoplanet detection with spatially variant diffractive waveplates,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, 36(5), DOI: 10.1364/JOSAB.36.000D13, 2019.
  7. Yung, YL;  Chen, P;  Nealson, K;  Atreya, S;  Beckett, P;  Blank, JG;  Ehlmann, B;  Eiler, J;  Etiope, G;  Ferry, JG;  Forget, F;  Gao, P;  Hu, RY;  Kleinbohl, A;  Klusman, R;  Lefevre, F;  Miller, C;  Mischna, M;  Mumma, M;  Newman, S;  Oehler, D;  Okumura, M;  Oremland, R;  Orphan, V;  Popa, R;  Russell, M;  Shen, LH;  Lollar, BS;  Staehle, R;  Stamenkovic, V;  Templeton, A;  Vandaele, AC;  Viscardy, S;  Webster, CR;  Wennberg, PO;  Wong, ML;  Worden. “Methane on Mars and Habitability: Challenges and Responses,” Astrobiology, 18(10), 1221-1242, DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1917, 2018.
  8. Kleinhöhl, Armin; Willacy, Karen; Friedson, A. James; Chen, Pin; and Swain, Mark R. “Buildup of Abiotic Oxygen and Ozone in Moist Atmospheres of Temperate Terrestrial Exoplanets and Its Impact on the Spectral Fingerprint in Transit Observations,” The Astrophysical Journal, 862(2), 92, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/aaca36, 2018.
  9. Tjoelker, Robert; Prestage, John; Burt, Eric; Chen, Pin; Chong, Yong; Chung, Sang; Diener, William; Ely, Todd; Enzer, Daphna; Mojaradi, Hadi; Okino, Clayton; Pauken, Mike; Robison, David; Swenson, Brad; Tucker, Blake.  “Mercury Ion Clock for a NASA Technology Demonstration Mission,” Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 2016.
  10. Yi, X; Vahala, K; Li, J; Diddams, S; Ycas, G; Plavchan, P; Leifer, S; Sandhu, J; Vasisht, G; Chen, P; Gao, P; Gagne, J; Furlan, E; Bottom, M; Martin, EC; Fitzgerald, MP; Doppmann, G; Beichman, C.  “Demonstration of a near-IR line-referenced electro-optical laser frequency comb for precision radial velocity measurements in astronomy,” Nature Communications, 7,  doi:10.1038/ncomms10436, 2016.
  11. Yung, YL & Chen, P.  “Methane on Mars,” Astrobiol. Outreach 3(125), doi:10.4172/2332-2519.1000125.
  12. Line, MR; Zhang, X; Vasisht, G; Natraj, V; Chen, P; Yung YL. "Information Content of Exoplanetary Transit Spectra: an Initial Look," Astrophys. J., 749(93), doi:10.1088/0004-637X/749/1/93, 2011.
  13. Line, MR; Gautam, V; Chen, P; Angerhausen, D; Yung, YL. "Thermochemistry and Photochemistry in Cooler Hydrogen Dominated Extrasolar Planets: the Case of GJ 436b," Astrophys. J., 738(32), doi:10.1088/0004-637X/738/1/32, 2011.
  14. Swain, MR; Deroo, P; Griffith, CA; Tinetti, G; Thatte, A, Vasisht, G; Chen, P; Bouwman, J; Crossfield, IJ; Angerhausen, D; Afonso, C; Henning, T. "A ground-based near-infrared emission spectrum of the exoplanet HD189733b," Nature, 463, doi: 10.1038, 2010.
  15. Swain, MR; Tinetti, G; Vasisht, G; Deroo, P; Griffith, C; Bouwman, J; Chen, Pin; Yung, Y; Burrows, A. Brown, LR; Matthews, J; Rowe, JF; Kuschnig, R; Angerhausen, D. "Water, methane, and carbon dioxide present in the dayside spectrum of the exoplanet HD 209458b," Astrophys. J., 704: 1616-1621, 2009.
  16. Swain, MR; Vasisht, G; Tinetti, G; Bouwman, J; Chen, Pin; Yung, Y; Deming, D; Deroo, P. "Molecular Signatures in the Near Infrared Dayside Spectrum of HD 189733b," Astrophys. J. Lett., 690: L114-L117, 2009.
  17. Chen, P; Pearson, JC; Pickett, HM; Matsuura, S; Blake, GA. "Measurements of 14NH3 in the v2 = 1 state by a solid-state, photomixing, THz spectrometer and a simultaneous analysis of the microwave, terahertz, and infrared transitioins between the ground and v2 inversion-rotation levels," J. Mol. Spectrosc., 236(1): 116-126, 2006.
  18. Trudeau, ME; Chen, P; de Andrade Garcia, G.; Hollberg, LW; Tans, PP. "Stable isotopic analysis of atmospheric methane by infrared spectroscopy using diode laser difference frequency generation," Appl. Optics 45 (17), 2006.
  19. Chen, P; Robichaud, D; Okumura, M. "Application of cavity enhanced, optical heterodyne spectroscopy to tropospheric isotope chemistry." Abstr. Pap. Am. Chem. Soc., 229: U722-U722 131-Phys. Part 2, March 13, 2005.
  20. Kleiner, I; Tarrago, G; Cottaz, C; Sagui, L; Brown, LR; Poynter, RL; Pickett, HM; Chen, P; Pearson, JC; Sams, RL; Blake, GA; Matsuura, S; Nemtchinov, V; Varanasi, P; Fusina, L; Di Lonardo, G. "NH3 and PH3 line parameters: the 2000 HITRAN update and new results." J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf., 82(1-4): 293-312, 2003.
  21. Chen, P; Pearson, JC; Pickett, HM; Matsuura, S; Blake, GA. "Submillimeter-wave measurements and analysis of the ground and v2 = 1 states of water," Astrophys. J. Suppl. Ser., 128(1): 371-385, 2000.
  22. Chen, P; Pearson, JC; Pickett, HM; Matsuura, S; Blake, GA. "A Three-Diode-Laser, Terahertz-Difference-Frequency Synthesizer and Its Applications toward Far-Infrared Spectroscopy of Ammonia and Water," in L. Hollberg and R. J. Lang (Eds.), Trends in Optics and Photonics: Advanced Semiconductor Lasers and Their Applications vol. 31, pp. 103-105, Washington, D.C., Optical Society of America, 2000.
  23. Matsuura, S; Chen, P; Blake, GA; Pearson, JC; Pickett, HM. "A tunable cavity-locked diode laser source for terahertz photomixing," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 48(3): 380-387, 2000.
  24. Matsuura, S; Chen, P; Blake, GA; Pearson, JC; Pickett, HM. "Simultaneous amplification of terahertz difference frequencies by an injection-seeded semiconductor laser amplifier at 850 nm," Int. J. Infrared Millimeter Waves, 19(6): 849-858, 1998.
  25. Chen, P; Blake, GA; Gaidis, MC; Brown, ER; McIntosh, KA; Chou, SY; Nathan, MI; Wiliamson, F. "Spectroscopic applications and frequency locking of THz photomixing with distributed-Bragg-reflector diode lasers in low-temperature-grown GaAs," Appl. Phys. Lett., 71(12): 1601-1603, 1997.

Projects

Habitable Worlds Observatory