Rafael Luque
Also known as: R. Luque
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, University of Chicago, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Heidelberg University, Universidad de Granada
Research areas: Physics and Astronomy · Astronomy and Astrophysics · Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies · Astronomy and Astrophysical Research · Astro and Planetary Science
0000-0002-4671-2957
About
Born in Priego de Córdoba (Spain) in 1993, Dr. Rafael Luque received his B.Sc. in Physics in 2015 from the University of Granada (Spain), his M.Sc. in Physics in 2017 from the University of Heidelberg (Germany), and his Ph.D. in Astrophysics in 2021 from the University of La Laguna (Canary Islands, Spain), all of them awarded with honors. Currently, he is a "Ramon y Cajal" research scientist at the Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia - CSIC in Granada (Spain), formerly a NASA Sagan Fellow at the University of Chicago. As an exoplanet scientist, he has contributed to the discovery of numerous worlds beyond our Solar System using space telescopes such as Kepler, K2, TESS, and the James Webb Space Telescope, as well as leading ground-based observatories. His research focuses on the characterization of small exoplanets, the origin and nature of sub-Neptunes, and the search for signs of habitability on distant worlds. In addition to his scientific work, he has long been committed to public outreach and using astronomy as a means of sustainable development for rural areas in southern Spain.
Employment
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Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía "Ramon y Cajal" researcher2025 - Present
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The University of Chicago NASA Sagan Fellow2022 - 2025
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Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía Post-doctoral researcher2021 - 2022
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Ruprecht Karls Universität Heidelberg Computer Vision Group's student assistant2017 - 2017
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Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias Summer internship2016 - 2016
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Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica Summer internship2013 - 2013
Education
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Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias PhD in Astrophysics (summa cum laude)2018 - 2021
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Ruprecht Karls Universität Heidelberg MSc in Physics: especialization in Astrophysics2015 - 2017
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University of Granada Bachelor in Physics2010 - 2015
Projects & Funding
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THIRSTEE European Research Council2025 - 2030
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Innovative doctoral programme for talented early-stage researchers in Spanish host organisations excellent in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). European Commission2016 - 2021
Publications (260)
- Enhancing the Interpretability of Radial Velocity Analysis Using Leave-one-out Cross Validation Save
- JWST MIRI Reveals a Potential Atmosphere on the Ultrahot Rocky Planet TOI-431b Save
- Water-rich sub-Neptunes and rocky super-Earths around different stars: Radii shaped by volatile partitioning, formation, and evolution Save
- Enhancing the Interpretability of Radial Velocity Analysis Using Leave-one-out Cross-validation Save
- Exoplanet Detection Techniques: Radial Velocity Save
- JWST MIRI reveals a potential atmosphere on the ultra-hot rocky planet TOI-431b Save
- Mass constraints for the K2-223 system planets: An ultra-short-period sub-Earth, a short-period super-Earth, and a tentative long-period giant planet Save
- CORALIE radial-velocity search for companions around evolved stars (CASCADES) Save
- Life 2.0: a scalable distributed space-telescope array for biosignature spectroscopy Save
- Ten years of exoplanet discoveries and stellar astrophysics with CARMENES Save
- The Earth 2.0 (ET) space mission: science objectives, survey design, and development progress Save
- Evidence for an Atmosphere on the Ultra-short-period Super-Earth HD 3167 b Save
- KRONOS I: The 1─2.8 μm JWST Transmission Spectrum of the 23 Myr V1298 Tau c Save
- Precise mass and radius determination for two new and one known Neptune-sized planets around G dwarf hosts Save
- Constraining an exoplanet's magnetic field using star-planet interactions Save
- KRONOS II: Solar-like Umbra and Penumbra Properties on the Young Sun V1298~Tau Save
- Gas-depleted planet formation occurred in the four-planet system around the red dwarf LHS 1903 Save
- JWST NIRSpec finds no clear signs of an atmosphere on TOI-1685 b Save
- TOI-3862 b: A dense super-Neptune deep in the hot Neptune desert Save
- Sibling sub-Neptunes around sibling M dwarfs: TOI-521 and TOI-912 Save