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Prajwal Niraula is an emerging leader in exoplanetary science, with a primary focus on the detection and atmospheric characterization of terrestrial worlds orbiting ultracool dwarf stars. His most cited work, the 2020 paper "Development of the SPECULOOS exoplanet search project," outlines the foundational strategy for the SPECULOOS survey—a targeted transit search of the nearest (<40 parsecs) and coolest (<3000K) stars. This project is driven by the critical goal of discovering temperate, Earth-sized planets that are exceptionally well-suited for detailed atmospheric study with next-generation telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope. Niraula’s contributions are pivotal in refining target selection and survey methodology, directly enabling the search for habitable-zone planets around the smallest, most common stars in our galaxy. His work bridges the gap between detection and characterization, positioning him as a key figure in the quest to analyze the atmospheres of potentially habitable exoplanets. With his research gaining traction, Niraula’s impact is set to grow as SPECULOOS continues to yield discoveries.