North Carolina Astronomers' Meeting (NCAM)

Plenary Lecture: Rebekah Dawson, Penn State University

Multifaceted Views of Exoplanet Systems

Abstract: Over the past couple decades, thousands of extra-solar planets have been discovered orbiting other stars.The exoplanets discovered to date exhibit a wide variety of orbital and compositional properties; most are dramatically different from the planets in our own solar system. Our classical theories for the origins of planetary systems fail to account for the diversity of planets now known. In this talk, I'll discuss how multifaceted views of planetary systems — including orbital properties, system architectures, planetary compositions, and stellar properties — powerfully test theories for the origins and evolution of planetary systems. I will present results from simulations, comparisons to observed exoplanet populations and individual systems, and avenues for testing theories with ongoing and upcoming missions and surveys.

Rebekah Dawson is the Penn State University Astronomy & Astrophysics Shaffer Career Development Associate Professor of and Associate Head for the Graduate Program. She received her Bachelor of Arts in astrophysics from Wellesley College, a doctorate of philosphy in astronomy and astrophysics from Harvard University, and was a Miller Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research interests include extra-solar planets, debris disks, dynamics of planetary and satellite systems, the Kuiper Belt, planet formation, and signal processing. Her work was recently recognized by the American Astronomical Society Helen B. Warner Prize (2021) and American Astronomical Society Division of Planetary Science Harold C. Urey Prize (2020).

See this profile of Dr. Dawson by Astrobites.

Meeting Registration

NCAM is free and open to professional astronomers and astronomy/physics students/faculty from North Carolina and surrounding states. Note: NCAM is not a public/amateur astronomy event – we host one of those in the spring (TriStar). Information about registration for the 2022 event will be posted here.

We would like to get a reasonably accurate head count for the meeting, so participants are asked to complete the registration form or contact Tom English beforehand. Registrations for presentations should be completed by Tuesday, 20 September. If you plan to participate but NOT to present, we would still like for you to register beforehand – you can do this until Thursday, 22 September.

Register Now

Abstract Submission

If you would like to present an oral or display presentation at the NCAM meeting, you will be able to do so soon through an online form. The submission deadline is Tuesday, 20 September.

Display Presentations

Posters, submitted as pdf files, will be linked on the meeting website and assigned virtual breakout rooms for special sessions during the meeting. 

Oral Presentations

The proposed plan is for standard oral presentations to be 10 minutes including Q&A, though this could change, depending on the number of submissions.

After you submit the registration form, you should receive confirmation of receipt within a day of submission; if not, call or e-mail Tom English (336-334-4822, ext. 50023) to verify.

Special Sessions

• NCAM usually serves as the host for annual business meeting of the North Carolina Section of the International Dark Sky Association. Typically, this session is held during the lunch break. (If you have questions about NCIDA or ideas for discussion at the meeting, contact Dan Caton (Appalachian State University Dark Sky Observatory).
• NCAM acts as an annual site for a Regional ASTRO101 Teaching Exchange – a discussion/presentation session will be held during the afternoon. Anyone who currently teaches introductory college astronomy, or who expects to teach in the future, is encouraged to attend. (If you have ideas for the discussion, contact Tom English at GTCC.)