Full Name: Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan
Profession: Astrophysicist and Exoplanetary Scientist
Nationality: Indian-British
Current Position: Professor of Astrophysics and Exoplanetary Science at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge
Notable Achievement: Pioneering research on ‘Hycean’ planets and the potential for life beyond Earth
Early Life and Background
Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan was born in India and developed an early interest in the cosmos. He pursued his undergraduate studies in engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Varanasi, India. His passion for astrophysics led him to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, where he earned both his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in physics and astrophysics.
Education
- B.Tech: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Varanasi, India
- M.S. & Ph.D.: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
- Doctoral Advisor: Sara Seager
- Thesis Title: “Retrieval of Atmospheric Properties of Extrasolar Planets”