Richard Teague

Richard Teague is an Assistant Professor of Planetary Science in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he joined the faculty in 2022. His research focuses on understanding planetary system formation through submillimeter observations of protoplanetary disks using cutting-edge facilities like ALMA.

Education:

• Master's in Astrophysics, University of Edinburgh (2013)
• PhD, Max-Planck Institute for Astronomy (2017)

Teague's research centers on the chemical and physical processes in planet-forming environments. He employs submillimeter interferometric observations to map temperatures, densities, and chemical complexities in protoplanetary disks, with emphasis on direct detection of infant exoplanets and magneto-hydrodynamical instabilities. His work bridges observational data with numerical simulations to unravel how planetary systems emerge from circumstellar material.

His publication record shows consistent advancement in kinematical studies of protoplanetary disks, evolving from turbulence measurement techniques (2016) to direct exoplanet detection (2018) and meridional flow analysis (2019), demonstrating increasing sophistication in leveraging ALMA's 6D imaging capabilities for planet formation research.

Scientific Awards:

• Kerr-McGee Career Development Chair, MIT (2022)
• pH Lectureship, Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian (2022)

Teague leads the exoALMA collaboration, an ambitious ALMA Large Program conducting the first sub-mm planet hunting campaign targeting youngest exoplanets. He maintains a research associate appointment at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory through 2025 and collaborates with international teams using major observatories. His lab develops advanced observational techniques for studying disk structures and planetary formation signatures.