Meet Our Physicists
Zach Berta-Thompson
University of Colorado Boulder
Zach Berta-Thompson is an astronomy professor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. He uses large and small telescopes, both on the ground and in space, to observe exoplanets orbiting other stars and to characterize their atmospheres. He views each exoplanet as a laboratory experiment that can help us understand the processes that sculpt planetary evolution, and he builds methods and models in careful steps toward eventually determining whether life exists outside the Solar System. Zach grew up as the son of two ceramic artists in Michigan, he studied with caring astronomers at Princeton, Harvard, and MIT, and he started as a professor in Colorado in 2016. He leads a team of researchers and teaches students to practice using curiosity, creativity, coding, and kindness to learn more about how worlds work. Beyond astronomy, he enjoys yarn crafts, hiking with toddlers, and plants.