Transiting exoplanets: from ground-based origins to Kepler discoveries and beyond

Professor Sara Seager is a planetary scientist and astrophysicist at MIT. She holds the Ellen Swallow Richards Associate Professor chair. Professor Seager's research focuses on exoplanets. She develops theoretical computer models of atmospheres and interiors of all kinds of exoplanets, to make predictions and interpret data, with a prime interest in "biosignature" atmospheric gases. Her research has helped to form the fi eld of exoplanet characterization, including work that led to the first detection of an exoplanet atmosphere. Professor Seager is a member of the Kepler Science Team, the EPOXI Team, and has been actively involved in a number
of exoplanet space mission concept studies.