Daniel Apai is an astrophysicist specializing in studies of extrasolar planets with the long-term goal of identifying planetary systems capable of supporting life. He studies the interface of planetary sciences and astronomy and holds a joint appointment with Steward Observatory. Professor Apai is Principal Investigator for Project EOS: Earths in Other Solar Systems, a NASA-funded astrobiology research team exploring the potential of nearby planetary systems for supporting life. He is also the Principal Investigator of the Nautilus Space Telescope, a space mission concept designed for a very large-scale biosignature survey. Dr. Apai is founder of Project EDEN, one of the largest programs searching for habitable worlds in the solar neighborhood. He served on a variety of science advisory boards and steering committees. Professor Apai has been with LPL since 2011.

Tom Zega joined LPL in 2011. He applies a microscopy- and microanalysis-based approach to study the chemical and physical evolution of the early solar system and ancient stars, specifically the origin of the circumstellar grains that formed in ancient stars, refractory inclusions that formed the first solar-system solids, primitive organic compounds, and development of analytical techniques for investigations of such materials.

Tom has developed two courses for the Planetary Sciences curriculum at LPL: Planetary Materials (with Dr. Krishna Muralidharan, MSE) and Nanoscale Analysis of Materials Using Transmission Electron Microscopy. He leads the Planetary Materials Research Group at LPL and is the Scientific Director as well as TEM/FIB Instrument Scientist for the Kuiper Materials Imaging and Characterization Facility.