# Elizabeth J. Tasker
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{{Short description|British astrophysicist}}
{{About|the British astrophysicist|the Australian ecologist|Elizabeth Tasker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Elizabeth Tasker
| birth_name = Elizabeth J. Tasker
| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1980|07|12|df=y}}
| image = Elizabethtasker.jpg
| caption = Tasker in 2014
| workplaces = [University of Florida](/source/University_of_Florida)
[Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University)
[McMaster University](/source/McMaster_University)
[Hokkaido University](/source/Hokkaido_University)
[JAXA](/source/JAXA)
|fields=[Computational Astrophysics](/source/Computational_Astrophysics)
| alma_mater = [Durham University](/source/Durham_University) (MSci)
[Merton College, Oxford](/source/Merton_College%2C_Oxford) (DPhil)
| thesis_title = Numerical simulations of the formation and evolution of galaxies
|doctoral_advisor=Greg Bryan
| thesis_url = https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.424719
| thesis_year = 2005
| website = {{URL|elizabethtasker.com}}}}
'''Elizabeth J. Tasker''' (born 12 July 1980) is a British [astrophysicist](/source/astrophysicist) and science writer.
Tasker is currently an associate professor at the [Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency](/source/Japan_Aerospace_Exploration_Agency) and is highly active in [science communication](/source/science_communication). Her first book, ''The Planet Factory'', was published by [Bloomsbury](/source/Bloomsbury_Publishing) in 2017.
== Early life and education ==
Tasker graduated from [Durham University](/source/Durham_University) in 2002 with a [MSci](/source/MSci) in [theoretical physics](/source/theoretical_physics).[{{cite web |title=Curriculum Vitae |url=https://www.elizabethtasker.com/research |website=Elizabeth Tasker |access-date=20 April 2019 |archive-date=20 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420013650/https://www.elizabethtasker.com/research |url-status=dead }}] As an undergraduate, she won the 1999 ''[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)'' Young Science Writers Award.[{{Cite thesis|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/35875328|title=Numerical simulations of the formation and evolution of galaxies|website=researchgate.net|publisher=University of Oxford|language=en|access-date=2019-01-19|year=2005|degree=DPhil|first=Elizabeth|last=Tasker|id={{EThOS|uk.bl.ethos.424719}}}}] Her thesis, ''Numerical simulations of the formation and evolution of galaxies'', was completed in 2005.[{{Cite journal|last1=Tasker|first1=Elizabeth J.|last2=Bryan|first2=Greg L.|date=2006|title=Simulating Star Formation and Feedback in Galactic Disk Models|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=641|issue=2|pages=878–890|doi=10.1086/500567|issn=0004-637X|bibcode=2006ApJ...641..878T|arxiv=astro-ph/0512027|s2cid=14350784}}] She has investigated whether stellar feedback results in the death of [Giant Molecular Cloud](/source/Giant_Molecular_Cloud)s.[{{Cite journal|last1=Tasker|first1=Elizabeth J.|last2=Wadsley|first2=James|last3=Pudritz|first3=Ralph|date=2015|title=Star Formation in Disk Galaxies. III. Does stellar feedback result in cloud death?|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=801|issue=1|pages=33|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/801/1/33|issn=1538-4357|arxiv=1501.00277|bibcode=2015ApJ...801...33T|s2cid=54501498}}] She spent three years at the [University of Florida](/source/University_of_Florida) as the Theoretical Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow, before moving to [McMaster University](/source/McMaster_University) as a CITA National Fellow in 2009.[{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletechnicalbooks.com/elizabeth-tasker-planet-factory|title=Elizabeth Tasker: The Planet Factory {{!}} Ada's Technical Books|website=seattletechnicalbooks.com|date=16 January 2018|access-date=2019-01-19|archive-date=20 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620010933/https://www.seattletechnicalbooks.com/elizabeth-tasker-planet-factory|url-status=dead}}]
Tasker's research investigates how stars form in [disc galaxies](/source/Disc_galaxy) using [computer simulation](/source/computer_simulation)s.[{{Cite web|url=https://tenure-track.cris.hokudai.ac.jp/en/researcher/elizabeth-tasker/|title=Elizabeth TASKER » Office of Promotion and Standardization of the Tenure-Track System {{!}} 北海道大学|website=tenure-track.cris.hokudai.ac.jp|access-date=2019-01-19|archive-date=16 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216180026/https://tenure-track.cris.hokudai.ac.jp/en/researcher/elizabeth-tasker/|url-status=dead}}] She looks at how galaxy structure impacts the formation of stars, and how star formation drives galaxy evolution.[{{Cite journal|last1=Tasker|first1=Elizabeth|last2=Tan|first2=Joshua|last3=Heng|first3=Kevin|last4=Kane|first4=Stephen|last5=Spiegel|first5=David|last6=the ELSI Origins Network Planetary Diversity Workshop|last7=Brasser|first7=Ramon|last8=Casey|first8=Andrew|last9=Desch|first9=Steven|date=2017|title=The language of exoplanet ranking metrics needs to change|journal=[Nature Astronomy](/source/Nature_Astronomy)|language=en|volume=1|issue=2|pages=0042|doi=10.1038/s41550-017-0042|issn=2397-3366|bibcode=2017NatAs...1E..42T|arxiv=1708.01363|s2cid=118952886}}] She joined [Hokkaido University](/source/Hokkaido_University) as an international tenure-track academic in 2011.[{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/author/elizabeth-tasker|website=bloomsbury.com|title=Elizabeth Tasker Bloomsbury profile|access-date=2019-01-19}}][{{Cite web|url=https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/sokendai/e/about/staff/solar_system.html|title=Faculty Staff {{!}} Solar system science|last=宇宙科学専攻|first=総合研究大学院大学 物理科学研究科|website=Department of Space and Astronautical Science, SOKENDAI|language=en|access-date=2019-01-19}}] working on [hydrodynamical](/source/hydrodynamical) models of star and planet formation.[{{Cite web|url=http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/about/researchers/tasker_elizabeth.html|script-title=ja:タスカー エリザベス {{!}} 研究教育職員|script-website=ja:宇宙科学研究所|language=ja|access-date=2019-01-19}}]
=== Science communication ===
Tasker is also a popular science writer. She has written for ''[Scientific American](/source/Scientific_American)'', ''[How It Works](/source/How_It_Works_(magazine))'', [Space.com](/source/Space.com), ''[The Conversation](/source/The_Conversation_(website))'' and ''[Astronomy](/source/Astronomy_(magazine))''.[{{Cite web|url=https://www.space.com/32441-how-would-hitomi-loss-would-hurt-science.html|title=If Hitomi is Lost, What Science is Lost With It? (Op-Ed)|last=Tasker |first=Elizabeth |date=April 1, 2016|website=Space.com|access-date=2019-01-19}}][{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/lets-lose-the-term-habitable-zone-for-exoplanets/|title=Let's Lose the Term "Habitable Zone" for Exoplanets|last=Tasker|first=Elizabeth|website=Scientific American Blog Network|language=en|access-date=2019-01-19}}][{{Cite web|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/surprising-new-finds-from-ancient-egyptian-star-charts-slide-show1/|title=Surprising New Finds from Ancient Egyptian Star Charts [Slide Show]|last=Gorman|first=Christine|website=Scientific American|date=October 2015 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-19}}][{{Cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-tasker-102945|title=Elizabeth Tasker|website=The Conversation|date=3 September 2013 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-19}}] She has presented popular science lectures at the ''Communicating Astronomy with the Public'' conference, the [Royal Institution](/source/Royal_Institution) and [American Museum of Natural History](/source/American_Museum_of_Natural_History).[{{Cite web|url=https://www.communicatingastronomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CAP2018_Program.pdf|title=Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2018|website=CAP|access-date=2019-01-19|archive-date=20 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120043152/https://www.communicatingastronomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CAP2018_Program.pdf|url-status=dead}}][{{Cite web|url=https://astrophiz.wordpress.com/2017/03/27/astrophiz-30-dr-elizabeth-tasker-debunks-earth2-0-in-trappist-1-dr-ian-musgrave-whats-up-doc/|title=Astrophiz 30: Dr Elizabeth Tasker debunks 'Earth2.0' in Trappist-1 system + Dr Ian Musgrave 'What's Up Doc?'|last=O'brien|first=Brendan|date=2017-03-26|website=Astrophiz|language=en|access-date=2019-01-19}}][{{Cite web|url=http://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2018/july/public-a-planet-not-our-own|title=A planet not our own|website=rigb.org|language=en|access-date=2019-01-19|archive-date=20 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120093447/http://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2018/july/public-a-planet-not-our-own|url-status=dead}}] In 2015, Tasker presented ''How Did We Begin'' at [TED](/source/TED_(conference))x [Hokkaido University](/source/Hokkaido_University).[{{Citation|last=TEDx Talks|title=How Did We Begin? {{!}} Elizabeth Tasker {{!}} TEDxHokkaidoU|date=25 November 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9BxKIxkiAI|access-date=2019-01-19}}] She has spoken about the work of the [Earth-Life Science Institute](/source/Earth-Life_Science_Institute) to the general public.[{{Citation|last=NASA Astrobiology|title=Space Dust to Sentience: Dr. Elizabeth Tasker|date=November 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gub4fCdwQO4|access-date=2019-01-19}}]
==== The Planet Factory ====
In 2017 [Bloomsbury Publishing](/source/Bloomsbury_Publishing) released Tasker's first book, ''The Planet Factory''.[{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-planet-factory-9781472917720/|title=The Planet Factory: Exoplanets and the Search for a Second Earth|website=Bloomsbury|access-date=2019-01-19|archive-date=9 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109131947/https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-planet-factory-9781472917720/|url-status=dead}}] The book was described as "brilliantly written" by ''[Physics World](/source/Physics_World)''[{{Cite web|url=https://physicsworld.com/a/how-to-build-a-planet/|title=How to build a planet|date=2017-12-05|website=Physics World|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-01-19}}] and "splendidly readable and authoritative" by [Caleb Scharf](/source/Caleb_Scharf).