Astrophysicists at Lehigh conduct research involving theoretical and observational studies of stars and planets, with areas of particular interest being stellar astrophysics, the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, and the search for extraterrestrial life. Prof. McSwain explores the fundamental properties and evolution of massive stars, including disk formation of Be stars, binary star interactions, and the open cluster environments of their origin. She also develops new educational tools and simulations to help make cutting-edge astrophysics data more accessible to all. Prof. Pepper uses large sky surveys from ground and space to discover new exoplanets and variable stars, and identifies rare eclipsing or pulsating objects. He also works on the search for life, including studies of both biosignatures and techno-signatures.
Astrophysics
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