Dr. Logan Pierce, U. of Michigan

Direct detection of exoplanets offers the most comprehensive access to planet characterization, including probes of formation pathways, atmosphere properties, moons and rings, and even potential biosignatures. Despite the mountain of technological and observational challenges in these detections, we stand on the brink of breakthroughs enabling access to parameter spaces never before accessible to direct imaging. In this talk I will review the impact of JWST on imaging the coldest planets ever detected, even as cold as solar system temperatures, and how my group at UMich is using this powerful platform. Then I will introduce the next frontier of direct imaging, detection of exoplanets in reflected starlight, the numerous obstacles to this science, and how we are preparing for the first exoplanet reflected light detections with Roman, GMT, and ELT.