Abstract：When does planet formation begin in circumstellar disks? How do the dynamics of planet formation and disk evolution explain both the Solar System and diverse exoplanetary systems? Addressing these questions is a central challenge for the coming decade. In this talk, I will present our recent theoretical works on the pathways from dust to planets. I will discuss how the aerodynamics of dust grains produce planetesimals and embryos, how star–planet–disk interactions regulate dust evolution as well as planet growth and migration, and how hydro- and N-body dynamics together shape the orbital architectures of planets. I will also touch upon the growing synergies between numerical studies of protoplanetary disks and AGN disks, and how the latter offer a distinct channel for forming black hole mergers as gravitational wave sources. Throughout, I will highlight open problems and promising opportunities for collaboration, with the broader goal of building a coherent picture of planet formation and developing computational frameworks applicable across astrophysical dynamical problems.
Bio: Dr. Rixin Li is a 51 Pegasi b Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. His research uses computational simulations to study the evolution of dusty protoplanetary disks, the formation of planets therein, and the astrophysics of black holes. Based on these calculations, he makes observable predictions to test the underlying theories. Dr. Li received his B.S. in Astronomy from Peking University, Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of Arizona, and was a postdoc at Cornell University.