Sara Seager, O.C.
Toronto, Ontario and Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
Astrophysicist Sara Seager has transformed the study of extrasolar planets into a full-fledged planetary science. Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she has provided foundational ideas that have shaped this blooming branch of astronomy. By developing a new comparative and interdisciplinary approach, she pushed the limits on how astronomers can measure the parameters and properties of distant planets, and how they could eventually detect signs of extraterrestrial life. As a leading force behind large-scale projects handled by NASA, she is a trailblazer for women pursuing studies in the field.