The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA) is celebrating national recognition for a faculty member whose research is helping answer one of humanity’s biggest questions: How do planetary systems form, and could worlds like Earth be common in the universe? Fei Dai, an assistant astronomer at IfA, has been named a 2026 Sloan Research Fellow, one of the most notable and competitive honors for early-career scientists in North America.
Dai studies exoplanets, which are planets orbiting stars beyond our Sun. He investigates how their orbits, structures and compositions evolve over billions of years.
“I am incredibly grateful to receive this prestigious award,” said Dai. “While research is often a journey of quiet persistence and incremental progress, a milestone like this offers a chance to reflect on what our group has accomplished over the past few years. The Sloan Fellowship will undoubtedly catalyze new innovations and discoveries in the years ahead.”
Diversity of worlds
Dai’s work is reshaping scientists’ understanding of how solar systems are built. In a 2023 study, he and collaborators found that six planets orbiting the star TOI-1136 move in an almost perfectly synchronized pattern, known as a “resonant chain.” He has also played a central role in commissioning the Keck Planet Finder, a cutting-edge instrument capable of detecting tiny stellar wobbles to measure the masses and possible compositions of Earth-sized planets. That research is paving the way for future NASA missions designed to identify and study worlds that could support life.
“Fei represents the very best of the next generation of astronomers,” said IfA Director Doug Simons. “His work is fundamentally changing how we understand the birth and evolution of planetary systems. This recognition affirms not only his remarkable talent, but also the strength of IfA’s exoplanet research faculty and program.”
Dai joined IfA in 2024 following a highly competitive national search and previously held a NASA Sagan Fellowship, widely regarded as one of astronomy’s most selective postdoctoral awards.
Awarded this year to 126 of the most promising young researchers across the U.S. and Canada, the Sloan Research Fellowship recognizes scholars already driving major advances in their fields. Since 1955, eight faculty members from UH have received the distinction, including IfA faculty Michael Liu (2005), Christoph Baranec (2014) and Dan Huber (2019).
