Prof. Yanqin Wu is a theoretical astrophysicist and her current interests focus on planets: both planets in our solar system and ones that orbit other stars. Past projects include stellar pulsations, migration of hot Jupiters, the interior of Jovian planets, planets in binary systems, circumstellar debris disks, Pluto-Charon system, primordial Kuiper belt, tidal dissipation in stars and planets, Kepler planets large and small, planetary dynamics, proto-planetary disks.

Her overall goal is to understand how planets come about, this includes studying how environmental effects come into play, what is the interior structure of planets, etc. This field is very exciting and new discoveries are made daily. Research in this area helps to shape our view on how we ourselves come about.

Research interests include:

- Planets: dynamics
- Interiors
- Protoplanetary disks; stars: structure
- Pulsation
- Nonlinear effects
- Tides, binaries
- White dwarfs
- Neutron stars
- Supernova.