Dr. Scott Gaudi, Ohio State University – Dr. B. Scott Gaudi is the Thomas Jefferson Professor for Discovery and Space Exploration in the Department of Astronomy at Ohio State University. His research focuses on developing and applying ways of searching for planets around other stars, and he has been involved with the discovery of nearly two dozen extrasolar planets to date. In 2008, Dr. Gaudi received worldwide media attention for leading a team of 69 international astronomers in the discovery of a “scaled-down” Solar System. This discovery, published in the journal Science, implies that Solar Systems similar to ours might be common throughout the Galaxy.

Dr. Gaudi was awarded the Helen B. Warner Prize for “significant contribution to observational or theoretical astronomy” by the American Astronomical Society and was named one of the “10 Rising Stars of Astronomy” by Astronomy Magazine.

In 2011, Dr. Gaudi received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor given by the U.S. Government for science and engineering professionals in their early research careers. He also earned a National Science Foundation Early Career Development Grant in 2011, a highly-coveted award intended to propel outstanding young scientists by supporting academic research and outreach endeavors.