Austin Ware received their Bachelor of Science degree in Astronomy & Astrophysics from The Pennsylvania State University in 2018. During this time, they conducted research with Dr. Angie Wolfgang searching for stellar companions to a sample of Kepler sub-Neptune host stars using AO observations from Lick Observatory. Their interest in exoplanets and the search for life brought them to ASU to work with Dr. Patrick Young studying the evolution of habitable zones. Using a combination of stellar evolution and habitable zone models, they evolve the habitable zone of Sun-like stars up to their current estimated age. By implementing a Bayesian statistical framework, this technique is used to determine the likelihood that a potentially habitable exoplanet has remained in the habitable zone long enough for life to evolve and make a detectable impact on the atmosphere. The goal of this research is to inform future target prioritization for ground- and space-based missions aimed at detecting life on Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars.
B.S. Astronomy & Astrophysics (2018) - The Pennsylvania State University, State College PA
-Habitable zones and exoplanet habitability
-Stellar evolution and star-planet interactions
-Exoplanet detection and characterization
Continuous Habitable Zones: Using Bayesian Methods to Prioritize Characterization of Potentially Habitable Worlds