Sarah Rugheimer

Prof. Sarah Rugheimer is an Associate Professor and the Allan I. Carswell Chair for the Public Understanding of Astronomy at York University, Toronto. Her research focuses on modeling exoplanet atmospheres, biosignatures, and early Earth conditions, aiming to detect life beyond Earth. She is a TED Fellow (2020), Caroline Herschel Prize winner, and Harvard Horizons Scholar. Rugheimer teaches astrobiology courses and advocates for scientific literacy, co-hosting the podcast 'Self-care with Drs. Sarah.' She actively promotes gender equity in STEM, curating resources on systemic biases and mentoring students. Her work bridges academia and public outreach, emphasizing the societal impact of scientific communication.

Education: B.Sc. Physics (University of Calgary), M.A. & Ph.D. Astrophysics (Harvard University).

Research: Specializes in detecting biosignatures using telescopes like James Webb and LUVOIR. Her spectral databases guide exoplanet studies across stellar types. She explores prebiotic molecules (e.g., HCN) and how stellar activity affects planetary atmospheres.

Awards: TED Fellowship, Caroline Herschel Prize, Distinction in Teaching (Harvard).

Teaching/Outreach: Designed popular courses at St. Andrews and Tufts. Mentors D.Phil. students at Oxford and advocates for inclusive education. Co-founded PolicyLab for science policy advocacy.

Labs/Teams: Leads research on exoplanet atmospheres and co-hosts a podcast promoting researcher well-being. Collaborates on GeoBus outreach and Cite Black Women initiatives.