Peter Plavchan

Peter Plavchan is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at George Mason University and director of the Mason Observatory. He specializes in exoplanet discovery and characterization, precision radial velocity instrumentation, and time-domain observations. Plavchan leads the MINERVA-Red project and contributes to the NASA TESS and NEID communities, advancing detection of planets around low-mass stars and refining techniques for measuring stellar reflex motion. He has extensive experience building and deploying infrared spectrographs and mentorship in observational astronomy. At GMU, he develops collaborative research programs, expands observational facilities, and promotes student engagement in cutting-edge exoplanet science.