Growing Worlds

Building a Space Telescope for Exoplanets with Dr Andrea Bocchieri

Join hosts Jeni and Lorenzo as they chat with Dr Andrea Bocchieri, telescope scientist for ESA’s Ariel mission and future ESA system engineer. Andrea shares his journey into exoplanet science and takes us behind the scenes of preparing a space telescope to study the atmospheres of distant worlds. From spectroscopy and telescope stability to Lagrange points and exoplanet populations, this episode explores how Ariel will help transform our understanding of planets beyond the Solar System.

Truth in the Data: a chat with Angèle Syty

Join hosts Jeni and Lorenzo as they chat with Angèle Syty, a PhD student at the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris working on data processing for the Ariel mission. Angèle takes us behind the scenes of exoplanet atmosphere observations, focusing on the importance of understanding systematics. Angèle shares how her work models the real-life behaviour of Ariel’s detectors, ensuring that panoramic spectra truly reflect distant worlds and not instrumental artefacts. Listen to Angèle’s story in the field, from admiring the night sky as a child to her current passion for the Ariel mission.  Learn about the collaborative nature of her work with engineers, and her excitement about contributing to groundbreaking exoplanet science.

Exploring planetary atmospheres line by line with Dr Mattia D'Arpa

Discover more about how high-resolution spectroscopy can catch a glimpse of alien worlds amongst exoplanets with Dr Mattia d’Arpa. Join your hosts, Jeni and Lorenzo, for an interesting discussion about the mysteries of exoplanet atmospheres and the complexities of ground-based observations. Beginning his deep curiosity for science in high school, Mattia is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Instituto Nazionale di Astrofisica in Palermo, where he contributes to several international collaborations using cutting-edge instruments and helps to bridge the gap between the precision of space-based telescopes and the spectral resolution achieved from the ground.

Opening the Universe: science outreach with Dr. Alex Thompson

Learn about the importance of science outreach as hosts Jeni and Lorenzo chat with Dr. Alex Thompson, a Postdoc at UCL’s department of physics and astronomy. Alex is soon moving to INAF Astronomical Observatory of Palermo and enlightens us of her contribution to ORBYTS, a programme that connects school students to real astrophysics research. Alex shares her career story, from her undergraduate degree to where she is today, showcasing her passion for outreach and shedding light on the found potential of school children apparent through outreach projects such as ORBYTS. Listen in as we are reminded that science is a collaborative effort, and the scientific community is home to all.

Exploring citizen science in exoplanet research with Anastasia Kokori

Do you want to get involved in real exoplanet research? Listen as hosts Jeni and Lorenzo are joined with Anastasia Kokori, a PhD candidate in Exoplanetary Science at University College London. Anastasia is the coordinator of ExoClock and ExoClock Unlocked, an international effort that brings together professional astronomers, students, and amateur observers to monitor exoplanet transits and add to the development of exoplanet research. Anastasia tells her story, from a teacher in primary education to the exoplanet expert she is today and shares her incredible passion for science communication. She is an advocate for communicating science in a way that is accessible to all and ensures growth of the scientific community. Listen to hear more about the exciting work of Anastasia and ExoClock and how you can make significant contributions to exoplanet understanding.