Steven S. Vogt

Dr. Steven S. Vogt is a Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), affiliated with UCO/Lick Observatory. His career spans decades of pioneering work in astronomical instrumentation, focusing on optical design, high-dispersion spectroscopy, and exoplanet detection. He has led major projects such as the Automated Planet Finder (APF) Telescope and contributed to the design of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) spectrometer. Vogt's research has been instrumental in discovering numerous exoplanets, including groundbreaking work on the GJ 667C system.

Education:

• A.B. in Physics, University of California, Berkeley (1972)
• A.B. in Astronomy, UC Berkeley (1972)
• M.S. in Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin (1976)
• Ph.D. in Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin (1978)

Research Focus: Vogt specializes in developing advanced spectrographs like the Hamilton spectrometer and Keck HIRES, which have revolutionized radial velocity measurements for exoplanet hunting. His work on the APF telescope demonstrates a commitment to automated systems for detecting Earth-like planets. He also designed the MTHR spectrometer for TMT, aiming to maximize optical spectroscopy capabilities for the next-generation telescope.

Projects & Leadership: Vogt serves as Principal Investigator (P.I.) for the APF facility since 2001 and co-leader of the Lick-Carnegie Exoplanet Team since 2007. He played a central role in the California-Carnegie Exoplanet Team (1995-2007) and contributed to upgrading the Hamilton spectrometer for improved exoplanet detection precision.

Labs & Teams: Vogt collaborates with institutions including Lick Observatory, Keck Observatory, and the TMT project. He leads teams developing cutting-edge instruments like the Levy spectrograph for APF and contributed to the HIRES spectrometer's CCD upgrade.