Bernard Scott Gaudi (born 1974) is an American astronomer. He is the Thomas Jefferson Professor for Discovery and Space Exploration, a professor of astronomy, and chair of undergraduate studies at

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

's department of astronomy. He was chair of th
NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group
(2012–2014) and th
NASA Astrophysics Advisory Committee
(2012–2014). In 2018, Gaudi was co-chair of the National Academy of Science
Exoplanet Science Strategy
study.

Background

Gaudi grew up in a small rural town in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. He completed high school at the

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, or IMSA, is a three-year residential public secondary education institution in Aurora, Illinois, United States, with an enrollment of approximately 650 students. Enrollment is generally offered to in ...

, his undergraduate education at the

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

, and his doctorate at

. Gaudi has been a faculty member of the Ohio State University Department of Astronomy since 2006. He previously was a Menzel Fellow at

Harvard College Observatory The Harvard College Observatory (HCO) is an institution managing a complex of buildings and multiple instruments used for astronomical research by the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United St ...

in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and
Hubble Fellow
at the

Institute for Advanced Study The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) is an independent center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry located in Princeton, New Jersey. It has served as the academic home of internationally preeminent scholars, including Albert Ein ...

in Princeton, NJ. Gaudi is a gay man. He shared that he hopes to bring representation to astronomy, and he has focused on engaging LGBTQ and HIV-impacted youth with astronomy.

Academic research

Gaudi is a leader in the discovery and statistical characterization of

extrasolar planets An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System. The first confirmed detection of an exoplanet was in 1992 around a pulsar, and the first detection around a main-sequence star was in 1995. A different planet, first detect ...

using a variety of methods, including transits and

gravitational microlensing Gravitational microlensing is an astronomical phenomenon caused by the gravitational lens effect. It can be used to detect objects that range from the mass of a planet to the mass of a star, regardless of the light they emit. Typically, astronom ...

. In 2008, he and his collaborators announced the discovery of the first Jupiter/Saturn analog using microlensing. In 2017, he co-led the

Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope The Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope (or KELT) is an astronomical observation system formed by two robotic telescopes that are conducting a survey for transiting exoplanets around bright stars. The project is jointly administered by members ...

survey collaboration and announced the discovery of KELT-9b, which is the hottest transiting

gas giant A gas giant is a giant planet composed mainly of hydrogen and helium. Jupiter and Saturn are the gas giants of the Solar System. The term "gas giant" was originally synonymous with "giant planet". However, in the 1990s, it became known that Uranu ...

ever discovered. Gaudi's first major media appearance was in ''

Discover Discover may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''Discover'' (album), a Cactus Jack album * ''Discover'' (magazine), an American science magazine * "Discover", a song by Chris Brown from his 2015 album ''Royalty'' Businesses and bran ...

'', when the magazine named him one of "20 Young Scientists to Watch in the Next 20 Years." Gaudi has helped discover over fifty planets with several techniques, with his work earning him coverage in the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', ''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'', ''

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a popular science magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organ ...

'', ''

Sky & Telescope ''Sky & Telescope'' (''S&T'') is a monthly magazine covering all aspects of amateur and professional astronomy, including what to see in the sky tonight and new findings in astronomy. Other topics covered include: *observing guides for planets, ...

'', ''

Astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...

'' and ''

Wired Wired may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Wired'' (Jeff Beck album), 1976 * ''Wired'' (Hugh Cornwell album), 1993 * ''Wired'' (Mallory Knox album), 2017 * "Wired", a song by Prism from their album '' Beat Street'' * "Wired ...

'', among others.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaudi, Scott Ohio State University faculty Living people People from Staunton, Illinois Michigan State University alumni Ohio State University Graduate School alumni 21st-century American astronomers 1974 births Harvard College Observatory people LGBTQ people from Illinois American LGBTQ scientists Gay academics Gay scientists LGBTQ astronomers Recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers