Hardware Factors
Ravi Kopparapu
NASA
Ravi Kopparapu, (Ph.D. '06 LSU, M.S. '03 LSU, M.Sc. '03, University of Pune) has established a distinguished career in the field of planetary science, with his research specifically geared towards uncovering the potential habitability of Earth-like planets around distant stars. Utilizing the state-of-the-art atmospheric models in tandem with data from NASA's Kepler space telescope, he has been pivotal in identifying prospective habitable worlds.
Earlier in his career, Ravi worked with the renowned LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) collaboration, developing cutting-edge techniques to process the immense data collected by the observatory. His subsequent journey in academia saw him taking up pivotal roles at institutions of repute, including a tenure as a Research Associate at Pennsylvania State University.
Currently a Planetary Scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Ravi's contributions span various domains of astrophysics. His earlier stints as a postdoctoral scholar at NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratory and the Center for Gravitational-wave Astronomy enriched his profile further, allowing him to explore gas abundances in exoplanetary atmospheres and develop novel techniques for gravitational-wave data analysis.
