Eric Agol

Eric Agol is a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Washington since 2003, specializing in astrophysics with a focus on extrasolar planets, gravitational lensing, and black hole accretion. His research combines analytical computations, numerical simulations, and observational data to study planetary systems, binary stars, and relativistic phenomena.

Education: Ph.D. in Physics from UC Santa Barbara (1997); B.A. in Physics & Mathematics from UC Berkeley (1992). His career includes postdoctoral work at Johns Hopkins University and Caltech, focusing on black hole accretion and quasar modeling. He pioneered the use of transit timing variations (TTVs) to detect exoplanets and contributed to the Event Horizon Telescope project that imaged M87*'s black hole shadow.

Key research areas include:

• Discovery and characterization of exoplanets (TRAPPIST-1 system, Kepler spacecraft data)
• Development of computational tools like TTVFast and QATS algorithm
• Gravitational lensing studies (self-lensing binaries, quasar microlensing)
• Black hole accretion disk modeling and Event Horizon Telescope collaboration
• Planetary atmosphere mapping using Spitzer and Hubble data

Notable contributions include proposing radio imaging of black hole shadows and leading the team that mapped exoplanet weather patterns. He has advised over 15 graduate students and postdocs, many now leading positions in academia and industry.

Labs/Teams: Active member of the UW Astronomy Department, involved in NASA missions and international collaborations like the Event Horizon Telescope.