Alyssa Jankowski
(She/They)
Post Baccalaureate Astronomy Student
About
I'm a post baccalaureate Astronomy-Physics student at UW-Madison interested in planetary migration, planetary ring systems, young planets, and exoplanet verification. Previously, I have done research on HD 63433d, the nearest Earth-sized exoplanet younger than 500 Myr. Work for this project has been published in The Astronomical Journal and presented as a press briefing and the 243rd AAS Meeting. Additionally, I have done work characterizing Saturn's F-Ring through the SETI Institute REU. Most recently, I published a paper on the age and dynamical history of the TOI-1937A system in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Astronomy-Physics in May of 2024 and am always excited to be meeting and making connections with other astronomers. I greatly enjoy creating visualizations for science projects, a sample of which can be seen here.As a nonbinary astronomer, I am interested in helping make the field more welcoming and friendly for the LGBTQ+ community.Outside of astronomy, my hobbies include Dungeons and Dragons, playing and listening to music, game design, and martial arts.
CV
Education
◦ University of Wisconsin-Madison Astronomy-Physics B.S., 2024
◦ Certificates in Game Design and Computer Science
◦ Grafton High School, 2020Research Experience
Undergraduate Student Researcher, UW Madison, Astronomy-Physics, May 2022 – Present
◦ Advisor: Dr. Melinda Soares-Furtado
◦ Project Details: Time series analysis of a young multi-planet system in the Ursa Major Moving Group and exoplanet confirmation. Press briefing given at AAS 243rd Winter Meeting. Published in the Astronomical Journal Jan. 2024.Undergraduate Student Researcher, UW Madison, Astronomy-Physics, Sept. 2023 – Present
◦ Advisor: Prof. Juliette Becker
◦ Project Details: Dynamical and age analysis of a massive (> 2 M(Jup)) Ultra Short Period (USP) planet in orbiting a Sun-like stellar host. Published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific Mar. 2025.REU Student Intern, SETI Institute Jun. 2023 – Aug. 2023
◦ Advisor: Mr. Robert French
◦ Project Details: Kinematic and structural analysis of Saturn’s F-Ring. Focus on clump formation, streamer channel evolution, and ring width.Publications
Jankowski, A.; Becker, J.; Soares-Furtado, M., Vanderburg, A.; He, Z.
The Ambiguous Age and Tidal History for the Ultra-Hot Jupiter TOI-1937Ab, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. arXiv:2503.15802Soares-Furtado, M.; Capistrant, B.; Vanderburg, A.; Jankowski, A.; Mann, A.; Ross, G.; Srdoc, G.; Hinkel, N.; Becker, J.; Magliano, C.; Limbach, M.; Stephan, A.; Nine, A.; Tofflemire, B.; Kraus, A.; Giacalone, S.; Winn, J.; Bieryla, A.; Bouma, L.; Ciardi, D.; Collins, K.; Covone, G.; de Beurs, Z.; Huang, C.; Jenkins, J.; Kreidberg, L.; Latham, D.; Quinn, S.; Seager, S.; Shporer, A.; Twicken, J.; Wohler, B.; Vanderspek, R.; Yarza, R.; Ziegler, C.
TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME) XI: An Earth-sized Planet Orbiting a Nearby, Solar-like Host in the 400 Myr Ursa Major Moving Group, 2024, The Astronomical Journal, 167, 2. arXiv:2401.04785Research Interests
◦ The detection and characterization of planetary systems and their members.
◦ Interactions between planetary ring systems and their host planets.
◦ Using spectroscopic analysis to identify exoplanets with viable "bio-signatures."
◦ Determining membership of planetary systems within co-moving groups using photometric survey data.
◦ Designing space-based infrared/optical missions to detect exoplanets and exosatellites.Service Experience
UW Madison Astronomy Club Executive Board
◦ Event Director May 2023 - May 2024
◦ Event & Volunteer Coordinator May 2022 - May 2023Scientific Presentations
Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium 34th Conference, Poster Presentation Aug. 2024
AAS 244 Meeting, Poster Presentation Jun. 2024
University of Wisconsin - Madison Undergraduate Symposium, Poster Presentation Apr. 2024
AAS 243 Meeting, Press Briefing Jan. 2024
AAS 243 Meeting, Poster Presentation Jan. 2024
Student Research Showcase, UW Madison Astronomy Club Dec. 2023
SETI REU Final Presentations, SETI Institute Aug. 2023
University of Wisconsin - Madison Undergraduate Symposium, Poster Presentation Apr. 2023
AAS 241 Meeting, Poster Presentation Jan. 2023
Student Research Showcase, UW Madison Astronomy Club Dec. 2022Observational Experience
◦ SRT 2.3-M Radio Telescope at Pine Bluff Observatory (1 hour)
◦ 16" Optical Telescope at Bell Burnell Observatory (1 hour)Professional Appointments
◦ University of Wisconsin - Madison Badger Precollege, Educational Assistant Jun. 2024 - Jul. 2024
◦ Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association, Student Assistant Sep. 2021 - May 2023
◦ Aspen Center for Physics 2023 Winter Conference, Student Assistant Mar. 2023
◦ Feith Family YMCA, Welcome Desk Staff Mar. 2021 - Aug. 2022
◦ Kids 2 Kids, Guest and Volunteer Relations Nov. 2020 - Dec. 2020
AAS 243 Press Briefing
At the AAS 243rd Meeting, I gave a press briefing on my work on the HD 63433 system. The video below is the recording of the press briefing session, in which I am the fourth presenter. The associated paper for this work is available here.
Science Visualizations
Below are some examples of science visualizations I have created for various projects. For more information about the individual projects I created them for, please hover over them or contact me. Additionally, higher quality versions of these images can be found at this link.
A visualization of the shape of the Earth's shadow on the moon, including a hypothetical where the Earth is cube shaped, to illustrate how we know the Earth is round. Created for Will Jarvis, and presented at the Kennedy Space Center on April 8th 2024.
A visualization showing gravitational lensing of objects around the Sun, to communicate how we are able to observe objects that appear behind the Sun. Created for Will Jarvis, and presented at the Kennedy Space Center on April 8th 2024.
The stellar system HD 63433 in the style of a classroom solar system diagram. Created for my own press briefing at the AAS 243 Meeting in January 2024. Illustration was used in several news articles following the press briefing.
The stellar system of HD 63433 in the style of a solar system diagram, labeled. Created for my own press briefing at the AAS 243 Meeting in January 2024.
A visualization of planetary systems migrating into a young Milky Way. Created in 2024 for the VOYAGER Survey led by Bob Aloisi, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, whose goal it is to find exoplanets with an extragalactic origin.
An illustration of the HD 63433 system with a focus on HD 63433d. Created in 2023 for my presentation at the University of Wisconsin - Madison Undergraduate Research Symposium.
An illustration of the TOI-1937A stellar system, containing an Ultra Short Period Jupiter-sized planet. Created in 2024 for my own presentations, including at the AAS 245 Meeting in January 2025.
Hobbies
Game Design
As a student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, I got my Certificate in Game Design. I have created or collaborated on four games, one physical and three digital. I coded, created art, designed game mechanics, wrote, and play tested, among many other skills. For the physical game, Caves Before Curfew, I created the all the art assets and design language; a portfolio of those assets can be found at this link. Linked here is my itch.io page, which is where you can see a portfolio of the games I've created.
Art
A logo design for Exoplanet Coffee Hour, a social gathering for people who study exoplanets at my University.
An artistic rendering of protostellar formation inspired by the JWST.
Rendition of the Andromeda Galaxy
An original character looking out on a starry night on a beach with large crystals off in the distance.
Art of my current D&D character Serin dressed up for a gala.
An image of an ocean with some large crystals in the distance.
Art of the video game Portal 2 featuring the protagonist, Chell, the antagonist, GLaDOS, and several features of the setting, Aperture Laboratories.
Art of the lead characters in the 1982 film Tron, in the style of a magazine cover. Created for and published in The Grid: A Tron Fashion Zine, available here
Martial Arts
Breaking two boards with a downward punch at my third degree black belt test.
Contact
The best way to do that is through email, at which point I would be able to give you a less formal avenue to communicate if that's what you'd prefer.