Todd Henderson

Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network

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About

Todd Henderson is a key figure in the development of robotic, networked astronomical instrumentation, with his work centered on high-resolution spectroscopy and time-domain astrophysics. As a lead engineer at the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT), Henderson’s most significant contribution is the design and deployment of the Network of Robotic Echelle Spectrographs (NRES). This ambitious project created a fleet of identical, high-precision optical spectrographs, each capable of being fiber-fed by multiple 1-meter telescopes. His work, detailed in two highly cited papers (with 51 and 20 citations respectively), has enabled a unique, globally distributed spectroscopic capability. By standardizing the instruments and automating their operation, Henderson’s NRES system allows for the simultaneous, long-term monitoring of stellar radial velocities and exoplanet transits from multiple sites around the world. This innovation dramatically increases observational efficiency and data consistency, providing the astronomical community with a powerful new tool for exoplanet characterization and stellar astrophysics, and cementing his role as a pioneer in robotic telescope networks.