Lucas Brefka

I am a third-year graduate student, pursuing my PhD in astronomy and astrophysics with a dual degree in astrobiology at Penn State University.

I received my bachelor’s degree in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of Michigan in May 2022, but prior to that I had a burgeoning interest in the inner workings of the universe around me, one which was fostered by many wonderful teachers throughout my life. I hope to repay their efforts by curating that same curiosity and wonder in the people around me!

My current research focuses on the formation of planetary systems, particularly the formation of systems that look nothing like our own. Through computer simulations, I tweak the conditions of formation that planetesimals experience, and track how these changes affect the observable properties of the final planets that develop. I am also interested in the more subtle dynamical interactions that can occur between planets throughout their lifetimes, as well as the modeling and characterization of their atmospheres.