Sarah Millholland

Sarah Millholland is an Assistant Professor of Physics at MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. Her research focuses on data-driven dynamical studies of extrasolar planetary systems, particularly their orbital architectures, formation processes, and connections between dynamics and physical properties like interiors and atmospheres. She employs numerical simulations, statistical methods, and close collaboration with observational data.

Education: B.S. in Physics and Applied Mathematics (University of St. Thomas, 2015), M.S./Ph.D. in Astronomy (Yale University, 2020), postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University (2020-2022). Affiliations include MIT's Kavli Institute and collaborations across multiple institutions.

Research Interests: Exoplanet orbital dynamics, tidal interactions, obliquity effects, resonant systems, planetary formation theories, and the interplay between planetary structure and orbital evolution. She investigates how gravitational forces shape observable characteristics of planetary systems and seeks to explain the diversity seen in exoplanets compared to our Solar System.

Recent work highlights include studies on obliquity-driven tidal runaway forming ultra-short-period planets, spin dynamics in resonant chains, and empirical constraints on tidal dissipation in host stars. Her research bridges theoretical models with observational data from missions like Kepler and JWST.

• Awards: 2025 Sloan Fellowship, Vera Rubin Award (2024), NASA Sagan Fellowship (2020-2022), NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2017-2020)

Advising/Grants: Supervises students in exoplanet dynamics and has received funding from NASA, NSF, and fellowships. Active in mentoring early-career researchers and developing interdisciplinary approaches to planetary science.

Labs/Teams: Maintains an active research group at MIT and collaborates with international teams on projects involving observational data interpretation and computational modeling.