High school students discover exoplanets during mentorship program – Harvard Gazette

“Our species has long envisioned planets beyond our solar system and with multi-planetary systems, you’re kind of hitting the jackpot,” he said. “The planets originated from the same disc of matter around the same star, but they ended up being different planets with different atmospheres and different climates due to their different orbits. So we would like to understand the fundamental processes of formation and evolution of planets using this planetary system. “

Daylan added that it was a “win-win” to work with Pinglé and Wright on the study.

“As a researcher, I really enjoy interacting with young brains who are open to experimenting and learning and have minimal prejudices,” he said. “I also think it’s very beneficial for high school students because they are exposed to cutting edge research and it quickly prepares them for a career as a researcher.

The SRMP was created in 2016 by Or Graur, a former postdoctoral fellow at CfA. The program accepts around ten students per year with priority given to under-represented minorities.

Through a partnership with the city of Cambridge, students are paid four hours per week for the research they conduct.

“They are salaried scientists,” Sousa-Silva said. “We want to encourage them to say that pursuing an academic career is fun and rewarding – no matter what they end up pursuing in life.”

Pinglé plans to study applied mathematics or astrophysics after graduation. Wright has just been accepted into a five-year Masters program in Astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.