Rate My Professor Yanga Fernández

Yanga R. Fernández, known as “Yan,” is a Professor of Physics and the Planetary Sciences Track Director in the Department of Physics at the University of Central Florida, specializing in Space Science. He earned his B.S. with Honors in Astronomy from the California Institute of Technology in 1993, followed by an M.S. in Astronomy in 1995 and a Ph.D. in Astronomy in 1999 from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a dissertation titled “Physical Properties of Cometary Nuclei.” After completing his doctorate, Dr. Fernández served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai‘i, from 1999 to 2002, and as a SIRTF/Spitzer Fellow there from 2002 to 2005. He joined the University of Central Florida in 2005 as an Assistant Professor, advanced to Associate Professor in 2011, and was promoted to Full Professor in 2019. Additionally, he has been an Associate Scientist at the Florida Space Institute since 2016 and directed UCF’s Robinson Observatory from 2009 to 2021.

As an observational astronomer, Dr. Fernández investigates the physical and compositional properties of small solar system bodies, including active comets, extinct comets, Trans-Neptunian objects, Centaurs, Trojans, primitive main-belt asteroids, and near-Earth asteroids. His research employs ground-based and space-based telescopes to explore their compositions, internal structures, temporal evolution, origins, and roles in planetary formation and the delivery of volatiles to planets. Notable publications include “Thermal properties, sizes, and size distribution of Jupiter-family cometary nuclei” (Icarus, 2013), “That’s the way the comet crumbles: Splitting Jupiter-family comets” (Planetary & Space Science, 2009), “Comet 162P/Siding Spring: A Surprisingly Large Nucleus” (Astronomical Journal, 2006), “Albedos of asteroids in comet-like orbits” (Astronomical Journal, 2005), “The nucleus of Deep Impact target comet 9P/Tempel 1” (Icarus, 2003), and “Physical properties of the nucleus of comet 2P/Encke” (Icarus, 2000). His contributions have been recognized with the SIRTF/Spitzer Fellowship (2002–2005), International Astronomical Union membership (2012), the naming of minor planet (12225) Yanfernandez in his honor, and membership in the UCF Scroll & Quill Society (2017).