Nate McCrady
Papers
3
Total Citations
62
H-Index
3
About
Nate McCrady is an observational astronomer whose work has been instrumental in building and deploying robotic telescope arrays for exoplanet discovery and characterization. His primary research focus is the design, commissioning, and operation of automated facilities dedicated to radial velocity follow-up and photometric monitoring of nearby bright stars. McCrady’s major contributions include leading the development of the Miniature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array (MINERVA) in the United States, a robotic array of four 0.7-meter telescopes optimized for high-resolution spectroscopy, and later spearheading the MINERVA-Australis facility, a Southern Hemisphere counterpart nearly unique in its ability to confirm and characterize planets discovered by NASA’s TESS mission. His work on efficient fiber coupling units for 1-meter class telescopes has also advanced the technical capabilities of small-aperture automated observatories. With his most-cited papers accumulating over 60 citations, McCrady’s impact is seen in the enabling infrastructure he has created for the exoplanet community. His achievements demonstrate a rare blend of engineering ingenuity and scientific vision, making him a key figure in the transition toward robotic, multi-site exoplanet follow-up networks.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Miniature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array I: design, commissioning, and early photometric results37 citations · 2015
- 2MINERVA-Australis. I. Design, Commissioning, and First Photometric Results21 citations · 2019
- 3