STEMcast Episode 40 | “We are all made of stardust”: Learning about Early Planetary Formation with Prof. Paola Pinilla

In today’s show, we welcome Prof. Paola Pinilla, Associate Professor in exoplanets at University College London. Together, we peer into her journey from a kid in Bogotá (Columbia) dreaming about the stars to her role as a Principal Investigator studying early planetary formation in London. Her research on protoplanetary discs, formed from dust and gas around young stars, helps us understand how the planetary systems and organic molecules behind life first emerged, earning her the prestigious 2026 Blavatnik Award. From the complexity of protoplanetary discs to the importance of following your curiosity, this conversation is filled with nuggets of wisdom for scientists in every field.In this episode, we cover:(01:25) Questions that drive her research: How did the Earth form? How did our solar system form?(3:00) Prof. Pinilla’s past scientific breakthroughs: pressure bumps and planet embryos(6:55) Non-scientific stepping stones towards those scientific achievements(13:51) Fitting in a scientific community(19:19) What pushes Prof. Pinilla to dream bigger and bigger?(21:40) Diving into Prof. Pinilla’s research: What are protoplanetary discs?(25:59) How the diversity of protoplanetary discs leads to the diversity of exoplanets(28:22) What methodologies does Prof. Pinilla’s group use?(33:32) New research directions: Recreating the physical conditions of early planetary formation(36:12) Creation and delivery of organic compounds to the inner disc(40:30) We are made of the same stuff: stardust. Further readingRead more about Prof. Paola Pinilla and her 2026 Blavatnik AwardRead the paper we discussed in Nature Astronomy (way to form organic matter in protoplanetary)Her initiative on Mothers in AstromnomyEpisode host and producer: Sabrina Du and Kenza Rtel BennaniContact: [email protected]