Astronomy Colloquium

  Discoveries of exoplanets so different from those in our Solar System have called in question conventional theories for how planetary systems form and evolve. I will present recent progress in our understanding of the physical processes that drive the assembly of planetary systems and result in the surprising variety of orbital properties we observe today. I will focus on the orbital evolution of giant planets, including the origin of hot Jupiters and giant planets on elliptical and tilted orbits. I will conclude with pathways forward toward a blueprint for how planetary systems form and evolve, including connections between small and giant planets and the different initial conditions that lead to a diverse array of planetary orbits and compositions.