{"id":302,"date":"2012-05-29T16:13:03","date_gmt":"2012-05-29T16:13:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/10.171.92.38\/~physics\/?page_id=302"},"modified":"2026-10-21T12:33:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T16:33:59","slug":"planetary-sciences","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/research\/research-areas\/planetary-sciences\/","title":{"rendered":"Planetary Sciences"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UCF Planetary Sciences Group<\/a> uses spacecraft data, images from the world’s most powerful telescopes, meteorites and moon rocks, and supercomputer calculations to investigate fundamental questions like these:<\/p>\n

How did our solar system form? What do the surfaces of other worlds tell us about their history? What happens when a comet hits a planet? What’s going on in the atmospheres of extrasolar planets? Are there any other planetary systems like ours? Are we alone?<\/p>\n

The Planetary Sciences Group works closely with the Florida Space Institute<\/a> to grow space research at UCF and throughout Florida.<\/p>\n

The department offers a PhD track in Planetary Sciences<\/a>, a BS specialization and minor in Astronomy, classes, research and employment opportunities at all levels, workshops, Robinson Observatory<\/a>, astronomical software, planetary seminars, and much more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Planetary Sciences Faculty<\/h2>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"Britt,<\/a><\/div>

Daniel Britt <\/a><\/h3>
Pegasus Professor<\/h5>

dbritt@ucf.edu<\/a>407-823-2600PSB 442<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Daniel Britt<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The physical properties of Lunar and Asteroid regoliths and surfaces
\nThe economic geology and assessment of Lunar and Asteroid resources
\nDevelopment of simulants for Lunar, Asteroid, and Martian regoliths
\nProcessing of Lunar and Asteroid resources
\nEffects of space weathering on volatile-rich asteroids.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"Humberto<\/a><\/div>

Humberto Campins <\/a><\/h3>
Pegasus Professor<\/h5>

Humberto.Campins@ucf.edu<\/a>PSB 459<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Humberto Campins<\/h3>\n

Dr. Campins. research area is astronomy. He studies comets, asteroids and other small bodies in the solar system using a variety of ground based, airborne and space based telescopes. This research is funded by NASA and by the National Science Foundation. One of his current interests is the role that comets may have played in the origin of water and organic molecules on Earth and Mars.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"Josh<\/a><\/div>

Joshua Colwell <\/a><\/h3>
Dean of the College of Sciences & Pegasus Professor of Physics<\/h5>

josh@ucf.edu<\/a>407-823-1911407-823-0737CSB 210 (main office) \/ PSB 444 and PSB 461 (labs)<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Joshua Colwell<\/h3>\n

I study the origin and evolution of the solar system and in particular small bodies such as planetary rings, asteroids, comets, dust, and small moons. I was a Co-Investigator on the\u00a0Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS)\u00a0on the\u00a0Cassini\u00a0<\/a>spacecraft. I analyze observations of Saturn\u2019s rings made by Cassini UVIS and model the structure and evolution of the rings. I design, build, and operate microgravity experiments to study the early stages of planet formation, the surfaces of small asteroids and moons, and the collisional evolution of planetary rings in the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education<\/a>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"Adrienne<\/a><\/div>

Adrienne Dove <\/a><\/h3>
Department Chair, Professor<\/h5>

adrienne.dove@ucf.edu<\/a>407-823-1882PSB 430A (office) \/ PSB 409 (lab)<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Adrienne Dove<\/h3>\n

Planetary sciences and dusty plasmas in the solar system. Microgravity and laboratory research on dusty plasmas, collisions, and planet formation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"Theodora<\/a><\/div>

Theodora Karalidi <\/a><\/h3>
Associate Professor<\/h5>

tkaralidi@ucf.edu<\/a>PSB 104<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Theodora Karalidi<\/h3>\n

Modeling and characterization of exoplanetary and brown dwarf atmospheres. Mapping exoatmospheres.
\nSpectropolarimetric modeling and characterization of brown dwarfs and exoplanets.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"Yan<\/a><\/div>

Yan Fernandez <\/a><\/h3>
Professor \/ Planetary Sciences Track Director<\/h5>

Yanga.Fernandez@ucf.edu<\/a>407-823-2325PSB 133<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Yan Fernandez<\/h3>\n

My area of research is comets and asteroids, which I have been studying since 1994. I am interested in the composition and physical properties of these objects, and how they compare to each other and other objects in the Solar System. Why? Because Small Bodies can tell us about the origin of the Solar System \u00e2\u20ac\u201d what were the compositional and thermal conditions in the solar nebula and in the protoplanetary disk? I am also interested in how comets and asteroids have evolved, since the current state of the Solar System informs how we can understand its formation 4.6 billions years ago.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"A<\/a><\/div>

Joseph Harrington <\/a><\/h3>
Pegasus Professor<\/h5>

jh@ucf.edu<\/a>407-823-3416PSB 441 \/ PSB 355 (lab)<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Joseph Harrington<\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

Planetary and exoplanetary atmospheres.
\nAstronomical data analysis methodology.
\nInfrared observing techniques.
\nOpen-source software and open science.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"Richard<\/a><\/div>

Richard Jerousek <\/a><\/h3>
Associate Lecturer \/ Observatory Director<\/h5>

Richard.Jerousek@ucf.edu<\/a>PSB 132<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Richard Jerousek<\/h3>\n

Planetary rings and astrophysical disk dynamics<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"Kerri<\/a><\/div>

Kerri Donaldson Hanna <\/a><\/h3>
Associate Professor<\/h5>

kerri.donaldsonhanna@ucf.edu<\/a>407-823-0285PSB 404<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Kerri Donaldson Hanna<\/h3>\n

Associate Professor Donaldson Hanna\u2019s research focuses on better understanding (1) the formation and evolution of airless bodies within our Solar System, (2) the distribution of planetary materials across the Solar System, and (3) the thermal infrared behavior of planetary materials. Her research combines spacecraft and telescopic remote sensing observations of airless bodies like the Moon, Mercury and asteroids, with laboratory measurements of analog materials utilizing bespoke environment chambers.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"A<\/a><\/div>

Ryan Ogliore <\/a><\/h3>
Associate Professor<\/h5>

Ryan.Ogliore@ucf.edu<\/a>PSB 438<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Ryan Ogliore<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"A<\/a><\/div>

Ramses Ramirez <\/a><\/h3>
Assistant Professor<\/h5>

Ramses.Ramirez@ucf.edu<\/a>407-823-2325PSB 106<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Ramses Ramirez<\/h3>\n

Planetary atmospheres. Exoplanetary and solar system planetary habitability. Mars paleoclimate. Habitable zone design. The intersection of biology and planetary habitability<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n

\"A<\/a><\/div>

Alyssa Sokol <\/a><\/h3>
Lecturer<\/h5>

Alyssa.Sokol@ucf.edu<\/a>PSB 148<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Dr. Alyssa Sokol<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

 <\/p>\n

Research Scientists<\/h2>\n

Dr. E. Todd Bradley<\/a><\/strong>
\nResearch<\/a>: Mercury exosphere, Saturn’s rings composition<\/p>\n

Dr. Julie Brissett<\/strong><\/a>
\nResearch<\/a>:\u00a0Planet formation, dust accretion processes, microgravity experiments<\/p>\n

Dr. Philip Metzger<\/strong><\/a>
\nResearch<\/a>: mechanics and characterization of planetary regolith<\/p>\n

Dr. Noem\u00ed Pinilla-Alonso\u00a0<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Research<\/a>: observation and modeling of comets, asteroids and KBOs<\/p>\n

Dr. Gal Sari<\/strong><\/a>
\nResearch<\/a>: thermal and collisional evolution of comets, asteroids and planets<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The UCF Planetary Sciences Group uses spacecraft data, images from the world’s most powerful telescopes, meteorites and moon rocks, and supercomputer calculations to investigate fundamental questions like these: How did our solar system form? What do the surfaces of other worlds tell us about their history? What happens when a comet hits a planet? 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