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About

Phil Evans is an astronomer whose work bridges exoplanet science, citizen science, and robotic telescope networks. His research focuses on the ephemeris refinement of transiting exoplanets—precisely measuring and updating the transit times of known exoplanets to enable efficient follow-up by larger facilities like TESS. A key contribution is his leadership in the ORBYTS (Original Research by Young Twinkle Students) program, which pairs professional astronomers with school students to conduct real research. His most-cited paper, "Original Research by Young Twinkle Students (ORBYTS): ephemeris refinement of transiting exoplanets" (2020, 36 citations), demonstrates this innovative model, using a fully robotic ground-based telescope network and citizen astronomers to observe exoplanets with large timing uncertainties or those unobserved for over three years. Evans also co-authored the analysis of binary microlensing event OGLE-2015-BLG-0060 (2019, 5 citations), which leveraged data from 13 telescopes, including automated robotic follow-up. His work exemplifies how robotic telescopes and public engagement can advance exoplanet characterization, making him a notable figure in both professional astronomy and science education.