Aomawa Shields

Dr. Aomawa Shields is the Clare Boothe Luce Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. She is an astronomer and an astrobiologist whose research focuses on exploring the possible climates and potential habitability of Earth-sized planets orbiting cool, low-mass stars, using observational data and computer models. Aomawa received her Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrobiology from the University of Washington in 2014, an MFA in Acting from UCLA in 2001, and an Sc.B. in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences from MIT in 1997. In addition to her award-winning scientific research, Aomawa is the Founder and Director of the organization Rising Stargirls, which encourages girls of all colors and backgrounds to explore and discover the universe using theater, writing, and visual art.

A 2015 TED Fellow, Shields' TED Talk “How We’ll Find Life on Other Planets” has garnered over 1.7 million views. Her essay “Universe: The Sequel” appears in the anthology She’s Such a Geek: Women Write About Science, Technology, and Other Nerdy Stuff (Seal Press). Her poem “Nefertiti with a Calculator” is published in the literary journal Bricolage. She is the proud mother of 3-year-old rising stargirl Garland-Rose, who she and husband Steven have deemed the most extraordinary lifeform in their universe. A champion of interdisciplinarity, Aomawa is deeply committed to using her experience to inspire others to embrace their whole selves and full potential. She is currently working on a memoir to be published in Fall 2022.