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About

Scott Powell is an instrumental astronomer and optical engineer whose research sits at the intersection of precision spectroscopy and exoplanet detection. His work centers on the design and development of cutting-edge spectrographs capable of detecting low-mass planets orbiting nearby stars through radial velocity measurements. Powell has made notable contributions to silicon immersion grating (SIG) technology, demonstrating that these devices offer a 3.4-fold gain in dispersion and roughly tenfold reduction in instrument volume compared to conventional echelle gratings — a significant advancement for high-resolution infrared spectroscopy. He was involved in the design of the Florida IR Silicon Immersion Grating Spectrometer (FIRST), a cryogenic instrument achieving resolving powers up to R=72,000 in a single exposure. His portfolio also includes the TOU spectrograph, a robotic, ultra-high-resolution optical instrument (R=100,000) deployed for surveying FGK dwarf stars, and pioneering work on Michelson interferometer calibration sources capable of ~0.1 m/s Doppler precision — essential for detecting Earth-like planets. With a total citation count approaching 25 across his most recognized works, Powell's contributions represent meaningful advances in the instrumentation infrastructure that underpins modern exoplanet science.