Planetary Makerspace Members
Come Join The Planetary Makerspace
The Planetary Makerspace is always looking for enthusiastic new members. Please consult the opportunities page for information on how to apply. Our group policies can be found on the mentoring philosophy page.
PI of the Planetary Makerspace
Seth Jacobson
Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University
Assistant Professor, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2017-2019
PhD, Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2012
MS, Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2010
BS, Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, 2008
He is the principal investigator of the research group.
Active Members of the Planetary Makerspace
Jackson Barnes (2018-)
PhD Student, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University
MS, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2020
BS, Astrophysics, University of California at Santa Cruz, 2017
He is investigating the formation of the first planetesimals via gas-triggered gravitational collapse. He is a 2022-2023 Michigan Space Grant Consortium Fellow.
Ryan Copeland (2021-)
BS student, Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University
He is investigating the dynamics of terrestrial planet formation. He is a PAREDS student.
Brenna Chetan (2022-)
BS Student, Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University
She is investigating lunar formation.
Collin Dobson (2021-)
BS student, Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University
He is investigating lunar dynamical evolution. He is a MSU Professorial Assistant.
Emily Elizondo (2022-)
PhD student, Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University
BS, Physics, Wayne State University, 2022
She is investigating terrestrial planet formation. She is a University Graduate Recruitment Fellow.
Luka Ludden (2022-)
BS student, Computer Science, University of Minnesota
She is investigating planetesimal formation. She is a 2022 ACRES NSF REU student.
Gabriel Nathan (2018-)
PhD Student, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University
MS, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2020
BA, Philosophy & Allied Fields (Physics), University of Chicago, 2016
He is investigating terrestrial core formation. He is a 2022-2023 Michigan Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellow.
Sanskruti Admane (2022-)
BS student, Physics & Astronomy, Ohio State University
She is investigating terrestrial planet formation. She is a 2022 ACRES NSF REU student.
Alumni of the Planetary Makerspace
Scarlett Abreu (2022)
BS student, Environmental Science, Rutgers University
She investigated terrestrial core formation. She is a 2022 GeoCaFES scholar.
Noah Behm (2019-2021)
BS student, Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University
He investigated the effect of pebble accretion on planetary composition. He was an MSU professorial assistant.
Jeremy Brooks (2018-2019)
BS student, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University
He investigated the dynamical evolution of terrestrial moons in the presence of planetary flybys.
Howard Chen (2017-2021)
PhD, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2021
MS, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2019
BA, Physics, Boston University, 2016
He investigated the establishment of the first atmosphere of Earth-like planets. His primary thesis advisor is Prof. Daniel Horton. He was awarded a Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) award.
Mercedes Collins (2019)
BS, Physics, University of North Texas at Dallas, 2020
She investigated the destruction of Vulcanoid asteroids by the YORP effect. While in the group, she was a Northwestern CIERA NSF REU student for the summer of 2019 and she continued her research at UNT.
Lexi Detweiller (2018-2019)
BS, Physics, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2020
She investigated the role of dynamical compaction in the truncated disk scenario of terrestrial planet formation. While in the group, she was a Northwestern CIERA NSF REU student for the summer of 2018 and she continued her research at IIT.
Lauren Fujishima (2019-2022)
BS student, Manufacturing and Design Engineering, Art Theory & Practice, Northwestern University
She investigated the dynamics of lunar accretion.
Nathan Hung (2018-2019)
BA, Integrated Science, Physics & Astronomy, Northwestern University, 2019
He determined that debris from giant impacts did not provide enough dynamical friction on the forming terrestrial planets to significantly effect their simulated orbits. He is now an MS student in Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M.
Miya Jia (2018)
BS, Asian Languages and Cultures, International Studies, Northwestern University
She conducted preliminary numerical simulations of terrestrial planet formation scenarios.
Casey Meyer (2021)
BS student, Civil Engineering, Michigan State University
He is investigating atmospheric loss during exoplanet formation.
Carson Ryan (2019-2020)
BS student, Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University
He is investigating the role of giant planet instabilities on terrestrial planet formation.
Claudia Sandine (2018-2020)
BS student, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University
She is investigating the fate of debris produced by giant impacts in the terrestrial planet forming region.
Eric van Camp (2019)
BS, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2019
He is investigating the dynamics and impact hazard of debris generated from asteroid collisions.