Angelle Tanner

Picture of Dr. Angelle Tanner

Angelle Tanner

Associate Professor, Astrophysics

235 Hilbun Hall
Mississippi State, MS 39762


Dr. Angelle Tanner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Mississippi State University. She has been interested in finding habitable planets outside our solar system since she was quite young. Her research is focused on multiple methods of extrasolar planet detection including using radial velocities, astrometry and direct imaging. She is also involved in research programs devoted to understanding the properties of the stars around which we are looking for planets. These properties include a star's size, rotational velocity, activity and whether it has a dusty debris disk. By knowing the architecture of planetary systems as well as the properties of their host stars, we also learn more about how those planets formed and evolved and how many similar systems exist in our Galaxy. Dr. Tanner hopes to be a primary contributor to the discovery of life on a nearby, Earth-like planet.

Graduate Students

Undegraduate Students

  • Kathrine Parker, Biology Major
  • Rebekah Brown, Engineering Major
  • Joshua Collins, Physics and Math Major

Teaching Areas

  • PH 1031 First Year Experience X-Files: A Critical Thinking Adventure
  • PH 1063/3063 Descriptive Astronomy/Astrophysics
  • PH 1113 General Physics I
  • PH 2213 Physics I
  • PH 4513 Intermediate Optics

Education

  • Ph. D., Astronomy, UCLA, 2004
  • M.S., Astronomy, UCLA, 1998
  • B.S. Astronomy and Physics (Honors), University of Arizona, 1996

Experience

  • 2016-present: Associate Professor, Mississippi State University
  • 2011-2016: Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University
  • 2009-2011: Postdoctoral Scholar, Georgia State University
  • 2008-2009: Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
  • 2004-2008: Postdoctoral Scholar, California Institute of Technology

Research Interests

  • Discovery of habitable planets via Extrasolar planet detection
  • The Starchive Open-Access Stellar Database

Recent Publications

  • “A Close-in Puffy Neptune with Hidden Friends: The Enigma of TOI 620” Reefe, M., et al. (2022) AJ, 163, 269.
  • “A planet within the debris disk around the pre-main-sequence star AU Microscopii”  Plavchan, P., et al. (2020) Nature, 582, 497.
  • “A New Standard for Assessing the Performance of High Contrast Imaging Systems” Jensen- Clem, R.; Mawet, D.; Gomez Gonzalez, C. A.; Absil, O.; Belikov, R.; Currie, T.; Kenworthy, M. A.; Marois, C.; Mazoyer, J.; Ruane, G.; Tanner, A.; Cantalloube, F., 2018, AJ, 155, 19
  • “The First Post-Kepler Brightness Dips of KIC 8462852” Boyajian, Tabetha. S. et al. (198 authors), 2018, ApJ, 853, 8

Honors/Professional Activities

  • 2013: MSU Arts and Sciences Researcher for the Month (June)
  • 2012: Kavli Fellow, National Academy of Sciences
  • 2009: JPL Group Award
  • 2001-2002: UCLA Dissertation Year Fellowship
  • 1996-2000: UC Cota Robles Fellowship
  • 1996: University of Arizona Astronomy Department Research Award
  • 1995: Phi Beta Kappa, University of Arizona
  • 1995: Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship