Debra Fischer

Debra Ann Fischer is an American astronomer and the Eugene Higgins Professor of Astronomy at Yale University.12 She is a leading exoplanet researcher who has made significant contributions to the field:

1. Discoveries: Fischer has discovered hundreds of exoplanets, including the first known multiple-planet system in 1999.12

2. Research focus: Her work centers on the detection and characterization of exoplanets, as well as the development of instrumentation to improve measurement sensitivity.14

3. Education: Fischer received her PhD in astrophysics from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1998.1

4. Achievements:

   • Co-authored over 300 papers on dwarf stars and exoplanets1
   • Led the N2K Consortium, detecting dozens of exoplanets around metal-rich stars1
   • Co-founded the Planet Hunters Citizen Science project1
   • Principal investigator for three spectrographs: CHIRON, VUES, and EXPRES1

5. Honors: Fischer has been elected to several prestigious scientific organizations, including:

   • American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2012)1
   • American Astronomical Society as a Legacy Fellow (2020)1
   • National Academy of Sciences (2021)1

6. Teaching: She has taught courses at Yale such as "Origins and the Search for Life in the Universe" and "Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics".3

7. Current projects: Fischer is currently focused on searching for Earth-like planets around our nearest stellar neighbors, Alpha Centauri A and B.4