LISA DANG.
Scroll DownHello! I’m Lisa Dang (she/her).
I am a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at Université de Montréal. I use a variety of space-based and ground-based telescopes to characterize short-period exoplanets and their atmospheres at the Institute for Research on Exoplanets. I am particularly interested in revealing the multi-dimensional nature of exoplanets atmosphere from phase-resolved observations. I also occasionally dabble in gravitational microlensing to improve observing surveys to study wide-orbit exoplanets! I can be reached at [email protected]
Exoplanet Science
Research Interests
Lava Planets with JWST et al.
Excitingly, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launching in late 2021 will provide exquisite observations enabling the study of terrestrial planets and their atmosphere. Excitingly, I am the Principal Investigator of the JWST Cycle 1 GO program: “A Hell of a Phase Curve: Mapping the Atmosphere and Surface of a Lava Planet K2-141b”. These observations will enable the detection of its atmospheric constituents, theorized to be made of outgassed minerals from the magma oceans they harbour and reveal the thermal structure of its atmosphere. ADS link!
Hot Jupiters with Spitzer
I characterize the atmosphere of Hot Jupiters using phase observations with the Spitzer Space Telescope. I used the observations to retrieve a thermal longitudinal brightness profile of hot Jupiters to study the dynamics and heat redistribution of their atmosphere. I co-wrote the Spitzer Phase Curve Analysis (SPCA) pipeline with Dr. Taylor Bell and detected the first westward hotspot offset in the atmosphere of CoRoT-2b and am interested in using comparative exoplanetology to study the entire sample of the Spitzer phase curves and uncover the planetary properties that shape hot Jupiters phase curves. ADS link!
Eccentric Planets
The orbital eccentricity of a planet is a relic of its evolution history and may also have implications on their energy budget. They represent a unique opportunity to observe a planetary atmosphere's response to varying incident stellar flux. I compare the Spitzer phase curves of the eccentric hot Jupiter XO-3b with a variety of 1D and 3D atmospheric models which suggests that the planet is emitting more heat than expected. We explain the inflated radius of the planet and its internal heating, which show tantalizing evidence of being linked! Moving forward, I am interested in studying eccentric planets to uncover key insights on planetary formation as co-lead of the Ariel Mission Eccentric Planets Working Group. newly published paper!
Wide-Orbit Planets Surveys
Through my work on phase curves analysis with Spitzer, I’ve become well acquainted with Spitzer’s instrumental systematics and many of the techniques to remove them. This led to one of the few cross-disciplinary forays into the field of gravitational microlensing from atmospheric characterization. I adapted and applied Pixel Level Decorrelation (PLD) to the Spitzer Microlensing Survey to independently validate its result. In anticipation of the forthcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, I am interested in understanding how photometric noise and detector systematics can impact the results of future space-based microlensing surveys. ADS link!
Science Communication & Media
I like to talk about my work and that of my peers to non-scientists in French and English!
Watch Video
In the Media
What the first images from JWST show us
Seeker by The Verge: July 2022
Réaction aux premières images du télescope James Webb
Années Lumière - Radio-Canada: July 2022
unlock the mysteries of our universe as never before
Toronto Star: July 2022
Landmark Webb telescope releases first science image — astronomers are in awe
Nature News: July 2022
Into the World of Lisa Dang
Dawson College SpacePod: June 2022
XO-3b: what the enormous 'hot Jupiter' could tell us about our universe
CTV News Montreal: March 2022
Journée internationale des femmes et des filles de science: Explorer l’espace avec Lisa Dang
NSERC Youtube Livestream: February 2022
February 11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science: A small sample of the incredible work being done at McGill by women in STEM
McGill Reporter: February 2022
Research offers new insights into planets outside our solar system
Global News Live: February 2022
Hot girl summer eclipsed by Hot Exo-Jupiter
The McGill Tribune: February 2022
A Canadian researcher has discovered day-long seasons on an exoplanet
SkyNews.ca: January 2022
Virtual AAS 239 Programming: Day 4 & 5
AAS NOVA: January 2022
Astrobites at AAS 239 Virtual Events: Day 4-5
Astrobites: January 2022
Scorching alien planet takes seasons to an extreme
Space.com: January 2022
AAS 239 Press Conference: Exoplanets & Their Atmospheres
American Astronomical Society (AAS) Press Conference: January 2022
New insights into seasons on a planet outside our solar system
McGill Newsroom: January 2022
NASA’s Spitzer Illuminates Exoplanets in Astronomical Society Briefing
NASA: January 2022
Le Projet Neptune: Chers Futurs Scientifiques
Fondation Bleu Metropolis: December 2021
Two key contributions to the James Webb space telescope
CTV News: December 2021
Opening the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope
SkyNews.ca: December 2021
Canada’s crucial role in the creation of James Webb telescope
Global News: December 2021
Exoplanètes et galaxies lointains dans le mire du James Webb
Années Lumière - Radio-Canada: December 2021
The upcoming launch of the James Webb Space Telescope promises to usher in a new era of astronomy
Sky & Telescope : December 2021
World’s most powerful space telescope will let researchers look back in time. This Canadian astronomer will be among its first users
Toronto Star : December 2021
The $11-billion Webb telescope aims to probe the early Universe
Nature News Feature : December 2021
This tiny iron-rich world is extraordinarily metal
Nature News : December 2021
Cinq chercheurs québécois qui pourront utiliser le télescope James-Webb
Quebec Science : October 2021
A McGill Astronomer Will Be One of The First People to
Ever Map a 'Lava Planet'
MTLBlog : September 2021
The largest space telescope in history is about to blow our minds
Vox.com : September 2021
Overture to Exoplanets
Eos: Science News by AGU : July 2021
McGill-organized conferences represent economic boon for local economy
McGill Reporter: November 2018
Blowing the wrong way round? Westward winds on CoRoT-2b
Astrobites: January 2018
Dynamical Theory Driven West on CoRoT-2b
Nature Astronomy News and Views : January 2018
"Wrong-way" Winds on CoRoT-2b
NASA Spitzer : January 2018
Des vents défient nos théories sur l’exoplanète CoRoT-2b
Radio-Canada : January 2018
Weird Winds Blow the 'Wrong Way' on Scorching Hot Exoplanet
Space.com : January 2018
Publications
A complete list of my publications can be found on ADS
1st/2nd author
Thermal Phase Curves of XO-3b: an Eccentric Hot Jupiter at the Deuterium Burning Limit
Dang L., Bell T. J., Cowan N. B., et al. 2022, AJ, 163, 32, ADS
A Comprehensive Reanalysis of Spitzer’s 4.5μm Phase Curves and the Phase Variation of the Ultra-Hot Jupiters MASCARA-1b and KELT-16b
Bell T. J., Dang L., Cowan N. B., et al., 2021, MNRAS, 504, 3316-3337, ADS
Pixel Level Decorrelation in Service of the Microlensing Parallax Spitzer Campaign
Dang L., Calchi Novati S., Carey S., et al., 2020, MNRAS, 497, 5309-5317, ADS
Detection of a Westward Hotspot Offset in the Atmosphere of a Hot Gas Giant CoRoT-2b
Dang L., Cowan N. B., Schwartz, J. C., et al., 2018, Nature Astronomy, 2, 220, ADS
How Astronomers View Education and Public Outreach
Dang L., Russo P., 2015, Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal, 18, 16, ADS
Nth author
A New Analysis of 8 Spitzer Phase Curves and Hot Jupiter Population Trends: QATAR-1b, QATAR-2b, WASP-52b, WASP-34b, and WASP-140b
May E. M., Stevenson K., Bean J., et al., AJ, submitted
K2 and Spitzer phase curves of the rocky ultra-short-period planet K2-141 b hint at a tenuous rock vapor atmosphere
Zieba S., Zilinskas M., Kreidberg L., et al., A&A, accepted
Smaller than Expected Bright-spot Offsets in Spitzer Phase Curves of the Hot Jupiter Qatar-1b
Keating D., Stevenson K., Cowan, N. B., et al., 2020, AJ, 159, 225, ADS
Evidence for H2 Dissociation and Recombination Heat Transport in the Atmosphere of KELT-9b
Mansfield M., Bean J., Stevenson, K., 2020, ApJL, 888, L15, ADS
Mass loss from the exoplanet WASP-12b inferred from Spitzer phase curves
Bell T. J., Zhang M., Cubillos P., et al., 2019, MNRAS, 489, 1995-2003, ADS
Uniformly Hot Nightside Temperature on Short-Period Gas Giants
Keating D. Cowan, N. B, Dang, L., 2019, Nature Astronomy, 3, 1092-1098, ADS
Non-Refereed
Exoplanet instrumentation in the 2020s: Canada's pathway towards searching for life on potentially Earth-like exoplanets
Benneke B., Cowan N. B., et al., 2019, Canadian Long Range Plan for Astronomy and Astrophysics White Papers, 2020, 65, ADS
What do you think of Public Outreach in Astronomy?
Dang L., Russo P., Entradas M., 2015, KAI'ALELEIAKA: Newspaper of the IAU XXIX General Assembly, IAU GA 2015 Newspaper
Outreach & Community Building
I like to make physics education and science engaging for students and non-experts while also creating an inclusive space to learn using non-conventional teaching methods.
McGill Physics Hackathon
I co-founded the McGill Physics Hackathon, a friendly computer programming competition. The goal is simple: we want to welcome everyone into the wonderful world of scientific computing! At the Hackathon, over a 24-hour period, participants have the opportunity to work on some sort of project which unites the physical sciences and computing. It has since become the most popular annual event of the department of Physics at McGill. http://www.physics.mcgill.ca/mcgillphysicshackathon/
Women In Physics Canada Conference
In 2019, I joined the Women in Physics Canada Conference (WIPC) local organizing committee as VP Sponsorship. WIPC is a scientific event aiming to break the isolation experienced by marginalized Canadian physicists in this male-dominated field and to foster the building of a network of contacts across the country. For more info: http://www.physics.mcgill.ca/wipc2019/
Physics Matters
During my graduate studies, I was promoted to outreach coordinator of the Department of physics during which I coordinated school visits and science workshops for elementary and high-school teachers across Montreal. Check out what the group is up to here: https://www.facebook.com/physicsmatters/
AstroMcGill
AstroMcGill is the outreach arm of the McGill Space Institute, we helped organize Astronomy on Tap and public lectures! Check out what the group is up to here: https://www.facebook.com/astromcgill/
Career Panels
In 2021, as VP Professional Development of the McGill Graduate Association of Physics Students (MGAPS), I organized a virtual career panel series about transitioning from a physics background to various industries. We invited people who have pivoted to various industries after completing a physics degree and discussed their paths and current careers. Here is recording of the virtual panel on Science Policy we held: Paths to Science Policy: A Career Phase Transition
Public Speaking
I am routinely invited to give public talks at schools and science festivals! Here is a link to one of the most recent panel about the James Webb Space Telescope we held: An Evening with Webb