Professor Dr. Sarah Rugheimer

Biography

Sarah Rugheimer is an Associate Professor at York University in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Her research focuses on exoplanets, biosignatures, and habitability, employing theoretical and computational methodologies. For over a decade, she has been investigating habitable planets orbiting stars, with a primary interest in astrobiology—the study of the origin of life on Earth and the search for life on other planets and moons in the universe. Rugheimer's work explores how to detect atmospheres of terrestrial extrasolar planets in the habitable zone, utilizing advanced instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope and large ground-based observatories. She has found several dozen potentially habitable exoplanets and continues to work on the connection between stellar activity and the photochemistry of these planets' atmospheres. Her research employs both 1D and 3D models to understand the physical conditions that influence the habitability and biosignatures of these worlds.

Research Interests