Michael Zhang

Inaugural E. Margaret Burbidge Prize Postdoctoral Fellow


Research

I am a 51 Pegasi b / Burbidge postdoctoral fellow, studying exoplanet atmospheres with a mix of space telescopes, ground telescopes, and numerical modelling.  I am working with Jacob Bean on analyzing JWST observations to understand the composition and circulation patterns of these mysterious worlds.  I also lead my own programs to observe escaping hydrogen and helium from young mini Neptunes while characterizing the X-ray emissions of their host stars, in order to understand whether this class of planets have primordial atmospheres, and if so, how quickly they lose them.

In my spare time, I am a fan of ancient history, especially the history of ancient Rome.  I also like checking out new restaurants serving exotic foods.  If you're interested in either, let me know :-)