Jennifer Bergner

Jennifer Bergner is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, affiliated with the College of Chemistry. Her research bridges chemistry, astronomy, and planetary science to investigate the chemical processes in star- and planet-forming regions.

• Education:
  • B.S. in Chemistry, University of Virginia (2013)
  • M.A. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University (2016)
  • Ph.D. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University (2019)

Research Focus: Dr. Bergner studies the synthesis of organic molecules in protostars and protoplanetary disks, aiming to understand how these chemicals might seed planets with prebiotic materials. Her work integrates laboratory experiments, observational astronomy, and computational modeling.

Awards:

• NASA Sagan Fellowship (2019-2022)

Laboratory: The Bergner Astrochemistry Group at UC Berkeley conducts cryogenic vacuum experiments and analyzes data from telescopes like ALMA and JWST to explore volatile ice chemistry and its role in planetary system evolution.