Introduction:

• We have Arnaud Michel, a master’s student in Astrophysics at Queen’s
• He focuses on formation of planets in our galaxy
• Hails from Fribourg, Switzerland.
• Completed his bachelor degree in Physics at Quest University in Sqamish, BC.
• Has worked as a research assistant at UVic and University of Bern in Switzerland.
• Leading cutting edge research using telescopes like ALMA and JCMT.

Research:

• To study how proptoplanetary disks evolve around young stars.
• Focuses on the evolution and the movement of dust in these disks that later collect together to form planet (such as the Earth).
• Not all material in Protoplanetary disks ends up in planets, some remains in large boulders that later collide to make a new disk of dust called debris disks.
• Arnaud also studies the connection between Protoplanetary and debris disk around stars.
• To study planet formation, Arnaud uses the ALMA telescope which is an interferometer observing in millimetre wavelength (same things as the microwaves in your kitchen!)

Links to Science Outreach Material:

• McDonald Institute
• Royal Astronomical Society
• Astronomy on Tap

Special thanks to Colin Vendromin for the music, also thanks to Zac Kenny for the logo!