I’m Laura Flagg, a postodctoral scholar and fellow at the Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds and the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State University. I use machine learning/AI methods to study stellar activity signals in high-resolution. spectroscopy. Previously as a postdoc, I studied planet formation at Johns Hopkins University and transiting exoplanet atmospheres at Cornell University with Dr. Ray Jayawardhana. I earned my PhD at Rice University with Dr. Christopher Johns-Krull, also focusing on planet formation. We studied the circumstellar environment around young stars as well as observations of young exoplanets. I also worked with Dr. Evgenya Shkolnik at Lowell Observatory while earning my masters at NAU and Dr. Alycia Weinberger at the Carnegie Institute of Washington.

When I’m not doing research, I like to cuddle with my cats, watch sports, paint, or read a book.