What controls where life can form and evolve in the Universe?

This PhD project tackles the question, "What controls where life can form and evolve in the Universe?". In recent years, extrasolar planet surveys have found planetary systems are ubiquitous around nearby stars and these planets have a bewildering array of properties. But what mechanisms determine the properties of planets and whether they can sustain life? This PhD project will use high sensitivity and resolution ALMA observations of proto-stellar and proto-planetary systems in extreme environments to quantify how the birth environment affects a star's long-term potential to host habitable planets. This is a key step towards understanding where we expect to find life in the Universe.