University of Georgia faculty member Cassandra Hall has been named a National Geographic Explorer, a National Geographic Society program that recognizes groundbreaking scientists, conservationists, educators, and storytellers. This year, 20 were selected from among 3000 applicants.
National Geographic Explorers are exceptional individuals in their fields who receive funding and support from the Society to illuminate and protect our world through their work in science, exploration, education, and storytelling.
The recipients of these grants are a diverse community of changemakers from around the world working to support our mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. The Program funds research across six key areas: ocean, land, wildlife, human histories and cultures, planetary health, and space.
Hall, assistant professor of astrophysics in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Her research is focused on the formation of exoplanets, artificial intelligence and astrobiology. In 2021, she won the Royal Astronomical Society's Winton Early Career Award for early achievement in astronomy. Her research includes discoveries that have been published in Nature and featured in the New York Times, but she is most proud of her work supporting and mentoring students from under-resourced backgrounds, both in research and in education. She is inspired by big questions, and one in particular: are we alone in the universe? She hopes that her research into how exoplanets form can bring us closer to an answer.
“I have always been fascinated by the wonders of our Universe. To be part of a community of like-minded individuals, infinitely curious about the world around us, is an incredible experience. Growing up, the storytelling of the National Geographic Society inspired me to see the wonder and beauty in the natural world," Hall said. "I am deeply honored to call myself a National Geographic Explorer -- it feels like a full-circle moment that has connected my early inspiration with my lifelong passion for discovery.”
Being a National Geographic Explorer means more than just receiving financial support from the Society. Investments in each Explorer include project funding and expanded professional development, training, leadership and speaking opportunities, community building, and connections.
Image: still photo from Hall's TEDxUGA presentation From Darkness to Discovery: The AI Hunt for Hidden Forming Exoplanets