A regular visitor to observatories in the Atacama desert, Professor Amaury Triaud is the discoverer of over one hundred exoplanet planets (planets which orbit stars other than the Sun). His research concentrates on extracting empirical evidence about the physical processes that lead to the formation and evolution of planets. His main attention is on discovering and investigating planetary systems that are different to our own, either by the type of planets that compose those systems, by their architectures, or because of the type of star(s) they orbit.
Amaury’s current attention focuses on circumbinary planets (planets with two suns), and on identifying planets that have sizes and temperatures similar to Earth, and that orbit around the smallest stars in our Galaxy. As part of the SPECULOOS collaboration, Amaury is a co-discoverer of the TRAPPIST-1 system, whose planets are most optimal in the search for evidence of biology beyond our Solar system.
An avid communicator, Amaury enthusiastically describes recent advances in Astronomy to the public, in settings such as science festivals, astronomical associations, science museums, schools, and corporations. He reaches audiences locally, nationally, and internationally and is the editor of the TRAPPIST-1 website. Amaury searches for new means of engaging the public, and improving science interest and science literacy in the civil society.
He is involved is active in enhancing public engagement, interest, understanding and awareness of physics through outreach.
Amaury is interested in featuring recent scientific concepts or discoveries in cultural products such as films, novels, illustrations and graphic novels; he is fascinated by the link between scientific investigations and art. He regularly comments on recent discoveries in the written press, on radio and on television.