Maggie A. Thompson [email protected] (571)-296-2535

Scientific Interests

Observational Astrophysics and Astrobiology and Life Beyond Earth

Education

A.B. in Astrophysics (Cum Laude) with Minor in Astrobiology, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., May 2016

Completed Eight Astrophysics Courses, Six Physics Courses, Four Geophysics and Environmental Science Courses, and Four Math and Statistics Courses, together with 11 Courses in Other Disciplines Granted Eight Units of Advanced Placement in Science, Math, History and English Served as Teaching Assistant for an Introductory Astronomy Course Completed Two Junior Research Papers and a Senior Thesis

Research Experience

Fall 2016-Summer 2017: Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Washington, DC. Hold a 9-month Astronomy Research Trainee position under the mentorship of Dr. Alan Boss. Plan to conduct analysis for the Carnegie Astrometric Planet Search program using data from the CAPSCam camera on the 2.5-meter du Pont Telescope at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. In addition, to combine data from CAPSCam with that from the recent Gaia satellite data release. Also plan to participate in theoretical research exploring the formation and evolution of protoplanetary disks.

Fall 2015-Spring 2016: Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. Senior Thesis research project conducted under the mentorship of Professor David Spergel. Developed an original approximate model to aid in the astrometric detection and characterization of multiple systems. Wrote Python code to model stellar motion in over 50 hypothetical two- and three-exoplanet systems and incorporated a least-squares fit program to assess its efficiency in planet characterization.

Summer 2015: Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History in New York, New York. Research assistant working under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Shara. Identified and studied strong hydrogen-alpha emitters to improve understanding of binary-star populations in our galaxy. Used data from the

Palomar Transient Factory to identify symbiotic stars and cataclysmic variables, which are possible progenitors of type Ia supernovae.

Summer 2014: Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. Astrophysics Undergraduate Student Research Program intern working under the mentorship of Professor Gaspar Bakos and Dr. Tim Morton. Analyzed data from NASA’s Kepler satellite mission to explore the distribution and demographics of exoplanets found in binary-star systems in comparison to those found orbiting single-star systems. Used the Python programming language to analyze Kepler data, produce plots and present findings.

Summer 2013: Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Research intern in NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program, under the mentorship of Dr. Wes Traub. Compiled a comprehensive catalog of approximately 2,500 stars within 30 parsecs of the Solar System to aid in future exoplanet surveys using satellite and ground-based observatories. Participated in week-long workshop at the Keck Institute for Space Studies on planetary magnetic fields.

Summers 2010-2012: Caltech’s Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) in Pasadena, California. Research intern for three summers under the mentorship of Dr. Davy Kirkpatrick analyzing data from the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) satellite, which mapped the universe in infrared light to find sub-stellar brown dwarfs. Discovered over 40 new, previously undetected brown dwarfs. Prepared and published a first author paper entitled, “Nearby M, L, and T Dwarfs Discovered by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer” in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in July 2013 (http://arxiv.org/abs/1305.4590). Also listed as a co-author on three Astrophysical Journal articles entitled “The First Hundred Brown Dwarfs Discovered with WISE” (http://arxiv.org/abs/1108.4677); “FIRE Spectroscopy of Five Late-type T Dwarfs Discovered with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Exoplorer” (http://arxiv.org/abs/1104.2537); “A Study of the Diverse T Dwarf Population Revealed by WISE” (http://arxiv.org/abs/1301.3913).

Summer 2010: National Geographic Student Expedition to Iceland. Studied geology and climate on an 18-day field trip, including the Mid-Atlantic Rift between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates and a recently erupted volcano. Prepared a presentation comparing Icelandic climactic zones to those on Mars and studying Iceland’s extremophiles as a potential tool for astrobiology.

Honors and Awards

Elected to Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society (College) Awarded Women in Aerospace National Scholarship (College) Honored with Head of School and Outstanding Science Student Awards (High School)

Selected as National Intel Science Talent Search Semifinalist (High School) Recognized as National Merit Commended Scholar and A.P. Scholar with Distinction (High School)

Publications

“A Model for Astrometric Detection and Characterization of Multi-Exoplanet Systems,” Senior Thesis, Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Advisor Dr. David Spergel, May 2016 “Searching for Strong Hydrogen-Alpha Emitters with PTF,” Summer Research Project at the Department of Astrophysics, American Museum of Natural History, Advisor Dr. Michael Shara, July 2015. “The Future of Exoplanet Science: A Comprehensive Review of Upcoming Exoplanet Science Satellite Missions,” Princeton University Junior Research Paper, Advisor Professor Gaspar Bakos, May 2015. “A Search for Close Binary Companions to Kepler Host Stars,” Princeton University Junior Research Paper, Advisor Dr. Timothy Morton, January 2015. “A Statistical Study of Exoplanets in Systems Using Kepler Data,” Princeton University Undergraduate Student Research Program, Advisor Dr. Timothy Morton, August 2014. “Nearby M, L, and T Dwarfs Discovered by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer,” Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, July 2013 (http://arxiv.org/abs/1305.4590). “The First Hundred Brown Dwarfs Discovered with WISE,” ApJ, August 2011 (http://arxiv.org/abs/1108.4677). “FIRE Spectroscopy of Five Late-type T Dwarfs Discovered with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer,” ApJ, April 2011 (http://arxiv.org/abs/1104.2537). “A Study of the Diverse T Dwarf Population Revealed by WISE,” ApJ, February 2013 (http://arxiv.org/abs/1301.3913).