Raluca Rufu’s research focuses on planetary formation and orbital dynamics. She studies the origin of satellites and satellite systems, as well as determining how these configurations can constrain planet formation and early dynamical evolution. Dr. Rufu studied the formation of Earth’s Moon, proposing a multi-impact origin scenario and assessing the feasibility of alternative Moon-forming models. Additionally, her work suggests that compact exoplanetary systems form early during the final phases of a stellar disk infall. Dr. Rufu holds a Ph.D. in Planetary Sciences from the Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel, 2018) and has been recognized as a NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (NHFP) Sagan Fellow. She has authored numerous high-impact, peer-reviewed articles, and is proficient with major astrophysical simulation codes.