Jamila Pegues
Astrophysicist and Computer Scientist (and Writer)
Astrophysicist and Computer Scientist (and Writer)
Hi there! I'm Jamila Pegues, a new VICO Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Virginia (VA, USA), serving since September 1, 2025.
This new website is currently under construction as I settle into my new position - please stay tuned for much more content later this season!
Research Focus: In a nutshell, I study the chemistry of planet-forming systems: specifically protoplanetary disks, which are disks of dust and gas around young stars that form planets. I am especially interested in how the chemistry of these planet-forming systems vary with respect to the central star.
Toward this endeavor, I serve as PI for the ALMA Large Program CHEER, a program dedicated to systematically surveying planet-forming chemistry in a large sample of protoplanetary disks around Herbig stars. These Herbig stars inhabit the relatively bright and massive end of the young stellar mass distribution. I am also an active co-I within the ALMA Large Program DECO, which is surveying chemistry across an even more gigantic sample of disks around T Tauri stars (aka, young Sun-like and less massive stars). Altogether, these two programs are covering a fascinating swathe of the young stellar distribution!
Career Journey (so far): I graduated from Harvard University in 2021 with a Master of Science in Computational Science and Engineering, as well as a Ph.D in Astronomy & Astrophysics. From there, I served as an STScI Postdoctoral Fellow at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, where I spent 50% of my time conducting independent research and 50% of my time in functional service to STScI's missions. I concluded my STScI fellowship term at the end of August 2025, and transitioned directly into my new postdoctoral position at UVA!
Stay tuned for many more details on this website in the near future!