The mission of the Follette Lab is to welcome and train students of all identities to become skilled, ethical, and collaborative scientists who will contribute to both the knowledge base and broader culture of their chosen fields while remaining healthy, balanced, and authentic.
Our research falls into two major categories:
Understanding where, when, & how exoplanets form in the disks of gas and dust around young stars
We are developing a deeper understanding of exoplanet formation by using large, ground-based telescopes to search for still-forming planets around other stars (protoplanets) and signposts of planets in the disks of gas and dust that form them (circumstellar disks).
Using science to build real world math skills and lower barriers to entry into STEM
Our goal is to understand whether introductory science courses for non-majors, especially intro astronomy, can be an effective tool for helping students improve their real-world math skills and lower barriers to entry to STEM fields.
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why this work matters
We are building a better future. We are making important contributions to exoplanet science and to the science of teaching and learning, but our biggest contribution is our investment in young researchers.