Dr. Sargent is a Research Scientist/PI with the SETI Institute, having received a Ph. D. from the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY.  As a graduate student, Dr. Sargent studied the evolution of protoplanetary and debris disks toward planetary systems.  As a postdoc and afterwards, Dr. Sargent has also been studying mass loss from evolved stars, as part of an effort to understand the cycle of mass in galaxies, learning how mass is produced by evolved stars and other sources, to be consumed during star formation.  Dr. Sargent has also studied dusty B[e] supergiant stars.  Dr. Sargent's current studies include protoplanetary disk evolution, evolved star mass loss, and supernova remnants, the studies of the latter focusing on SN 1987A.