ADS | Google Scholar

Meet our PI

Dr.Kate Follette

My primary scientific interest is in understanding how, when, and where planets are formed. The "birds and the bees" of exoplanets, as it were. To study this problem, I use big telescopes to take very high resolution images of young star systems and hunt for direct and indirect signs that planets are being born there.

My Teaching Philosophy

I believe deeply that the best scientists are well-rounded and skilled at communicating their work to a range of audiences. I think that the liberal arts approach is a powerful and effective way to train such scientists. I have always wanted to teach at a place where innovation in teaching would be valued as much as scientific innovation, and where I would be able to get to know and work closely with young scientists at the very start of their careers.

            Amherst College has been an ideal fit for me in its commitment to and support of innovative teaching of a diverse student body as well as an explicit commitment to student research mentoring. I am proud of the work that I and my colleagues have done to make the Astronomy major at Amherst College flexible and focused on practical and transferable skills such as critical thinking, coding, and presenting scientific results. We have been successful in growing the major and integrating practical skills and learner-centered teaching techniques throughout the curriculum.

Join our team!

We are always looking for students committed to working in a collaborative team on identifying direct and indirect signatures of planets and studying the efficacy of intro science courses in helping student learn “real world” quantitative skills. Do you love the idea of finding where, when, and how planets form around other stars? Are you passionate about the ways in which math skills might be a barrier to entry in STEM? Find out more about how to join the Follette Exoplanet and/or Education labs.