People

Leadership

Jacob Haqq-Misra

Jacob Haqq-Misra
Position
Director of BMSIS / Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Meteorology & Astrobiology, M.B.A.
Research Interests
planetary habitability · atmospheric dynamics · space settlement · technosignatures · environmental ethics
Other
Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Blue Marble Space
Location
Clayton, Delaware
Website

Sanjoy Som

Sanjoy Som
Position
CEO of Blue Marble Space / Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Planetary Sciences & Astrobiology
Research Interests
Evolution of air pressure · Co-evolution of Earth and life · Water-rock interactions · Life independent of light · Public outreach
Other
Exobiology research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center
Location
Mountain View, California
Website

Graham Lau

Graham Lau
Position
Communications & Marketing Director / Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Geological Sciences & Astrobiology
Research Interests
astrobiology · geochemistry · Earth system science · philosophy of science fiction · communication studies
Location
Boulder, Colorado
Website

Anamaria Berea

Anamaria Berea
Position
BMSIS Reprsentative / Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Economics & Ph.D. Computational Social Sciences
Research Interests
complex systems · economics · data science · biosignatures · technosignatures · astrobiology
Other
Ronin Institute Scholar; Research Affiliate, Complex Adaptive Systems Lab University of Central Florida; Arch Mission Foundation Advisor; METI International Advisor
Website

Research Scientists

Dimitra Atri

Dimitra Atri
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Physics
Research Interests
Mars · Exoplanets · Planetary Habitability · Human Spaceflight · Space Weather
Location
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Other
NYU Abu Dhabi
Website

Jennifer Blank

Jennifer Blank
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Geochemistry
Research Interests
Mars Curiosity mission · biogeochemistry · prebiotic chemistry · experimental petrology and fluid geochemistry · stable isotope geochemistry
Location
Mountain View, California
Other
Senior Researcher in the Division of Space Sciences & Astrobiology at NASA Ames Research Center

Chris Butch

Chris Butch
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering
Research Interests
Nucleic Acids · Biochemistry · Prebiotic Chemistry · Drug Design · Machine Learning
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Other
Research Fellow at Earth Life Science Institute and Emory University
Website

Henderson (Jim) Cleaves

Henderson "Jim" Cleaves
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Chemistry & Biochemistry
Research Interests
origins of life · prebiotic chemistry · astrobiology · primitive self-replicating molecules · organic synthesis
Location
Washington, D.C.
Other
Chair and Professor, Department of Chemistry, Howard University
Website

Betul Kacar

Betul Kacar
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Biomolecular Chemistry
Research Interests
experimental evolution · protein networks · molecular resurrection · systems biology · complex life
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Other
Assistant Professor of Astrobiology at the University of Arizona; Global Science Coordinator, ELSI Origins Network.
Website

Ivan Paulino Lima

Ivan Paulino Lima
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Biophysics
Research Interests
astrobiology · extremophiles · microbiology · synthetic biology · science communication
Location
Mountain View, California
Other
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow
Website

Rafael Loureiro

Rafael Loureiro
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Botany
Research Interests
applied plant physiology · space horticulture · plant pigment and planetary co-evolution · science policy
Location
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Other
Assistant Professor of Botany at Winston-Salem State University

Omer Markovitch

Omer Markovitch
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Chemistry
Research Interests
origin of life · prebiotic evolution · systems chemistry · water structure and dynamics · computational chemistry
Location
Groningen, The Netherlands
Other
Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Groningen
Website

Shawn McGlynn

Shawn McGlynn
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Biochemistry
Research Interests
sulfur isotope fractionation · microbial ecophysiology · cell interfaces and electron transfer · metalloproteins · origin of life
Location
Tokyo, Japan
Other
Associate Professor, ELSI, Institute of Science Tokyo
Website

Milena Popovic

Milena Popovic
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Biochemistry
Research Interests
astrobiology · origin of life · RNA world · in vitro evolution · RNA structure and function
Location
Mountain View, California
Other
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow at NASA Ames

Andro Rios

Andro Rios
Position
Senior Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Chemistry
Research Interests
organic chemistry · prebiotic chemistry · astrobiology · chemical education · metabolic diseases
Location
Mountain View, California
Other
Exobiology Branch at NASA Ames Research Center & Chemistry Lecturer at CSU Monterey Bay
Website

Juan Carlos Chavez

Headshot of Juan-Carlos Chavez
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Information Science
Research Interests
Digital Divide · Information Poverty · Indigenous Systems of Knowledge · Indigenous Technologies · Astrobiology and Indigenous Origins of Life

Shiladitya DasSarma

Shiladitya DasSarma
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Biochemistry
Research Interests
Extremophiles · Astrobiology · Biotechnology · Biomedical Applications · Climate Action
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
Other
Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University System of Maryland, Baltimore, MD USA
Website

Jihua Hao

Jihua Hao
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Geochemistry
Research Interests
Early Earth surface environments · Origins of life · Habitability of other planetary oceans · Photochemistry under planetary conditions · High temperature and pressure aqueous geochemistry
Location
Hefei, China
Other
Professor, University of Science and Technology of China
Website

Tony Z. Jia

Tony Jia
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Chemistry
Research Interests
Prebiotic Chemistry · Astrobiology · DNA/RNA Sequencing · Nanomaterials/Self-Assembly · Membraneless Compartments
Location
Tokyo, Japan
Other
Earth-Life Science Institute at Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology)
Website

Cassandra Juran

Cassandra Juran
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests
Stem Cell Biology · Bioengineering · Mechanotransduction · Single Cell Comics · Regenerative Medicine · Aerospace Physiology
Location
Mountain View, California
Other
NASA Postdoctoral Fellow

Fathi Karouia

Fathi Karouia
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Biology
Research Interests
Space Biology · Astrobiology · Omics · Space Technologies · Human Spaceflight
Location
San Francisco, CA
Other
NASA Ames Exobiology Branch and Space Research Within Reach
Website

Rakesh Mogul

Rakesh Mogul
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Biological & Organic Chemistry
Research Interests
extremotolerance · planetary protection · spacecraft-associated microorganisms · biochemistry · lipoxygenase structure & function
Location
Pomona, California
Other
Professor at Cal Poly Pomona & Director of NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound
Website

Scott Perl

Scott Perl
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Geological Sciences & Geobiology
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Planetary Geology · Geobiology · Mineralogy · Habitability
Location
Pasadena, California, USA
Other
Research Scientist, Geobiology & Astrobiology, Caltech / NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory · Research Affiliate, Mineral Sciences, Los Angeles Natural History Museum
Website

McCullen Sandora

McCullen Sandora
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Physics
Research Interests
Habitability · Cosmology · Planetary Science · Quantum Field Theory · Data Science
Location
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Daniella Scalice

Photo of Daniella Scalice
Position
Research Investigator
Education
B.S. Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology
Research Interests
astrobiology · STEM outreach · cross-cultural education · science communication
Location
Annapolis, Maryland
Other
Education and Communications Lead for the NASA Astrobiology Program
Website

Svetlana Shkolyar

Photo of Svetlana Shkolyar during a podcast discussion
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Geological Sciences
Research Interests
astrobiology · Mars · rover missions · Raman spectroscopy · outreach & communication
Location
Greenbelt, MD
Other
Visiting Assistant Research Scientist, UMD/NASA GSFC/CRESST
Website

Ken Williford

Ken Williford
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Earth and Space Sciences and Astrobiology
Research Interests
Life beyond Earth · Mars sample return · Co-evolution of Earth and life · Complex systems · Consciousness
Location
Seattle, Washington
Other
Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; Visiting Associate, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology
Website

Tomasz Zajkowski

Headshot of Tomasz Zajkowski
Position
Research Investigator
Education
Ph.D. Biochemistry
Research Interests
Origin of life · Prions · Evolution · Synthetic biology · Space microbiology
Location
California, USA
Other
University of Warsaw and Universities Space Research Association
Website

Thaddeus D. Komacek

Thaddeus Komacek
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Planetary Sciences
Research Interests
Planetary Climate · Planetary Habitability · Atmospheric Dynamics · Planetary Evolution
Location
Oxford, UK
Other
Associate Professor, Department of Physics, University of Oxford & Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Maryland
Website

Jack Madden

Jack Madden
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Astrophysics/M.F.A. Digital+Media
Research Interests
Planetary Habitability · Research-Based Art and Design · Art+Science Collaboration · Visual Culture · Astrobiology
Location
Pasadena, CA
Website

Mark Neyrinck

Mark Neyrinck
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Astrophysics
Research Interests
Connections between structures and processes on Earth and in space · Cosmology · The cosmic web of galaxies and matter · Field-based interdisciplinary astronomy learning
Location
Colorado
Other
Adjunct Professor, Dept of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver
Website

Daniel Angerhausen

Daniel Angerhausen
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrophysics
Research Interests
exoplanets · astrobiology · airborne astronomy · mission design · science communication
Location
Bern, Switzerland
Other
Center for Space and Habitability Fellow at the University of Bern
Website

André Antunes

André Antunes
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Biochemistry/Microbiology
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Extremophiles · Microbial Diversity · Microbe-Mineral Interactions · Terrestrial Analogues
Location
Macau, China
Other
Associate Professor and Astrobiology Group Leader, State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST)
Website

Armando Azua-Bustos

Armando Azua-Bustos
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Research Interests
xerophiles - astrobiology · space research · microbial ecology · extreme environments · science communication
Location
Madrid, Spain
Other
- ResearchScientist, Department of Planetology and Habitability Center of Astrobiology (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain - VisitingScientist, Global Viral, San Francisco, USA. - Visiting Scientist, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Chile. -TED Fellow2017
Website

Laurie Barge

Laurie Barge
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Geological Sciences
Research Interests
origin of life · prebiotic chemistry · geochemical energetics · electrochemistry · self-organizing structures
Location
Pasadena, California
Other
Research Scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Website

Afshin Beheshti

Afshin Beheshti
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Biophysics
Research Interests
Space Biology · COVID-19 and Infectious Diseases · Cancer · Mitochondria · miRNAs
Other
COV-IRT, Broad Institute, and NASA Ames Research Center
Website

Celia Blanco

Celia Blanco
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Physics
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Origins of Life · Molecular Evolution · Prebiotic Chemistry · Bioinformatics
Location
California, USA
Other
University of California, Los Angeles
Website

William Brazelton

Billy Brazelton
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Biological Oceanography and Astrobiology
Research Interests
Marine Microbiology · Subsurface Biosphere · Metagenomes · Horizontal Gene Transfer · Astrobiology
Location
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Other
School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Website

Julia Brodsky

A photo of Julia Brodsky
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
M.S. Astrophysics
Research Interests
early astrobiology education · astrobiology · cognitive astrobiology · systems thinking in education · questioning in education
Location
Rockville, Maryland, USA
Other
Founder and Lead Curriculum Developer at Art of Inquiry - Online Space Science program for youth
Website

Alice Carron

Alice Carron
Position
Science Communication & Education Affiliate
Education
M.S. Visual Technology
Research Interests
Interdisciplinary Studies · STEM Education and Public Outreach · Tribal Education Advocacy · Documentary Film · Multicultural Collaboration
Location
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Website

Mark Claire

Mark Claire
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrobiology
Research Interests
atmospheric chemistry · science policy · science education · biogeochemistry · planetary habitability
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Other
Academia Survivor, Vinochemist

Julia DeMarines

Photo of Julia DeMarines
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
M.S. Space Studies
Research Interests
astrobiology · biosignatures · Titan · science communication · astrobiology education
Location
Oakland, California
Other
Science Instructor at Chabot Space & Science Center
Website

Aaron Goldman

Aaron Goldman
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Microbiology
Research Interests
computational biology · astrobiology · bioinformatics · science education · philosophy of science
Location
Oberlin, Ohio
Other
Assistant Professor of Biology at Oberlin College
Website

Lev Horodyskyj

Lev Horodyskyj
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Geosciences & Astrobiology
Research Interests
astrobiology · science communication · digital education · soils · planetary habitability
Location
Campinas, Brazil
Website

Afshin Khan

Afshin Khan
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Environmental Science
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Space Biology
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Other
Postdoctoral Fellow at Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic
Website

Katya (Ekaterina) Khramtsova

Katya (Ekaterina) Khramtsova
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Molecular Pathogenesis and Molecular Medicine
Research Interests
Genomics · Drug Discovery and Development · Bioethics · Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Healthcare · STEM Education and Outreach
Location
Wellington, New Zealand
Website

Mike Kubo

Mike Kubo
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
B.S. Chemistry
Research Interests
astrobiology · subsurface biosphere · science education · analytical chemistry · isotopic analysis
Location
Mountain View, California
Other
Lab Manager & Technician at SETI Institute/NASA Ames Research Center
Website

Mike Lee

Mike Lee
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Biology
Research Interests
bioinformatics · microbial ecology · microbial evolution · deep biosphere · space biology
Location
Mountain View, California
Other
NASA Space Biology Fellow
Website

Jeff Marlow

Jeff Marlow
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Geobiology
Research Interests
microbiology · metabolic activity · methane seeps · proteomics · extremophiles
Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Other
Assistant Professor of Biology, Boston University
Website

Haritina Mogosanu

Haritina Mogosanu
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
M.S. International Security & M.S. Environmental Management
Research Interests
astrobiology education · planetary protection · international security · cultural astronomy · science communication
Location
Wellington, New Zealand
Other
Biosecurity Risk Analyst at the Ministry for Primary Industries

Siddharth Pandey

Doctor Siddharth Pandey
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Space Systems Engineering
Research Interests
Mars exploration · sample acquisition · in-situ resource utilization · mission design · aerospace engineering
Location
Perth, Australia
Other
Director, Mars Society Australia
Website

Rolando Perez

Rolando Perez
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Bioengineering
Research Interests
Bioengineering for People and Planetary Health · Space Exploration · Scientific Discovery
Location
NASA Ames Research Center

Carl Pilcher

Carl Pilcher
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Chemistry & Masters of Public Affairs
Research Interests
astrobiology · cancer
Location
Sebastopol, California

George Profitiliotis

George Profitiliotis
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD in Planetary Protection Policy Valuation
Research Interests
Futures Studies · Technosignatures · Conceptual and Societal Aspects of Astrobiology · Planetary Protection Policy · Monster Theory
Location
Greece
Website

Sukrit Ranjan

Photo of Sukrit Ranjan
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrophysics
Research Interests
Early Earth · Prebiotic Chemistry · Atmospheric Biosignatures · Atmospheric Photochemistry · Radiative Transfer
Other
Through 08/31/2020: SCOL Postdoctoral Fellow (EAPS, MIT); Visiting Scholar (CIERA, Northwestern University) ··· From 09/01/2020: CIERA Postdoctoral Fellow (Northwestern University); Visiting Scientist (EAPS, MIT)
Website

Edward “Eddie” Schwieterman

Edward “Eddie” Schwieterman
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrobiology
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Exoplanets · Biosignatures · Spectral Modeling · Science Outreach
Location
Riverside, California
Other
Assistant Professor of Astrobiology at UC Riverside
Website

Lauren Seyler

Lauren Seyler
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Biological Oceanography
Research Interests
microbial ecology · origin of life · exobiology · biological oceanography · geomicrobiology
Location
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Other
Postdoctoral Researcher at Michigan State University
Website

Harrison Smith

Headshot of Dr. Harrison Smith
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Geological Sciences
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Life Detection · Complex Systems · Origins of Life · Mission Design
Location
Tokyo, Japan
Other
Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Earth-Life Science Institute at Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology)

Jessica Snyder

Jessica Snyder
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Mechanical Engineering
Research Interests
Biofabrication on Orbit · Tissue Engineering · Astropharmacy · Directed Evolution
Location
San Francisco, CA
Other
Co-founder / Head of Science of Odyssey SpaceWorks
Website

Marianne Steele

Marianne Steele
Position
Science Communication & Education Affiliate
Education
PhD Physiology/Psychology
Research Interests
Mentoring · Space Science · Outreach and Education to the Community – All Ages · Citizen Science · Teacher Support
Location
San Francisco Bay Area

Sarah Treadwell

Sarah Treadwell
Position
Science Communication & Education Affiliate
Education
Current Doctoral Student in Communications
Research Interests
Science Communication · Organizational Communications · New Media and Social Media · Astrobiology · Earth Science
Location
Rockford, Illinois
Website

Eric Wolf

Eric Wolf
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
Research Interests
Planetary Habitability · The Evolution of Planetary Atmospheres · Three-Dimensional Climate Modeling · Radiative Transfer · Scientific Software Development
Location
Colorado
Other
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder — NASA GSFC Sellers Exoplanet Environments Collaboration — NASA NExSS Virtual Planetary Laboratory
Website

Angélica Anglés

Headshot of Angélica Anglés
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Astrobiology & Planetary Exploration
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Martian analog sites · Extreme environments · Planetary habitability · Public outreach
Location
Hong Kong
Other
State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Science of Macau, China, SAR (University of Science and Technology of Macau)
Website

Anindita Das

Anindita Das
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Geomicrobiology
Research Interests
Microbial Carbon Sequestration · Serpentinization and allied anaerobic microbial processes · Planetary Habitability and Origin of Life · Sustainability of Ecosystems- the microbial understanding · Microbes geodynamics
Location
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Other
Assistant Teacher at Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission Schools (Barrackpore, Kolkata)
Website

Priya DasSarma

Thumbnail of Priya DasSarma
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
MS Microbiology
Research Interests
Haloarchaea · Astrobiology · Extremophile Microbiology · Genomics · Education & Outreach
Location
Maryland, USA
Other
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Website

Josh Goldford

Josh Goldford
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Bioinformatics
Research Interests
Origin of life · metabolic evolution · microbial ecology · non-equilibrium thermodynamics · complex systems
Other
Physics of Living Systems Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Visiting Scientist, California Institute of Technology
Website

Sasha Alexander Kaurov

Sasha Kaurov
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrophysics
Research Interests
Applied AI · Quantitative Social Science · Public Perceptions of Science · Science Education and Outreach · Immersive Technology
Website

Priscila Lange

Priscila Lange
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Earth Sciences
Research Interests
Oceanography · Phytoplankton Ecology · Harmful Algal Blooms · Remote Sensing · Science Communication
Location
East Boothbay, Maine
Other
Projects funded by NOAA JPSS and CNPq (Brazil)
Website

Dani Leach

Photo of Dani Leach
Position
Science Communication & Education Affiliate
Education
MS Space Studies
Research Interests
Astrobiology · K-12 Education and Teacher Outreach · Citizen Science · Science Communication · Earth and Space Science
Other
Lakewood School District, Marysville WA
Website

Liam Longo

A headshot of Liam Longo
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D Florida State University
Research Interests
protein evolution · protein · RNA world · liquid-liquid phase separation · evolution of metabolism
Location
Tokyo, Japan
Other
Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Earth-Life Science Institute at Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology)
Website

Amber Paul

Amber Paul
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Molecular Biology
Location
Florida, USA
Website

Noah Randolph-Flagg

Noah Randolph-Flagg
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
Ph.D. Earth and Planetary Science
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Hydrothermal Systems · Tectonics · Groundwater Flow · Aqueous Chemistry
Location
NASA Ames Research Center
Other
Lecturer, UC Berkeley; Exobiology research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center
Website

Kirtland Robinson

Dr Kirt Robinson
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Chemistry
Research Interests
Organic Geochemical Tracers · Prebiotic Chemistry · Planetary Habitability · Geomimicry · Europa Clipper - MASPEX
Other
School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University
Website

Mike Simmons

Mike Simmons with a telescope and stargazers in the background looking at the night's sky
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Research Interests
Public Outreach and Education in Astronomy · Diversity in STEM
Location
Agoura Hills, California, USA
Other
International Dark-Sky Association Board of Directors · Founding Member of The Overview Institute · International Astronomical Union Working Group on Astronomy for Equity and Inclusion · African Astronomical Society Outreach Committee
Website

Craig R. Walton

Craig Walton
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Earth Sciences
Research Interests
Origins of Life · Earth History · Biogeochemistry · Exoplanets · Meteorites
Other
NOMIS-ETH Fellow COPL Centre - ETH Zürich; Junior Research Fellow - University of Cambridge (Trinity College)
Website

Aubrey Zerkle

Headshot of Aubrey Zerkle
Position
Affiliate Research Scientist
Education
PhD Geosciences
Research Interests
Earth History · Biogeochemistry · Astrobiology · Planetary Science · Science Communication
Website

Staff Scientists

A.J. Bates

Alec (A.J.) Bates
Education
Master of Arts in Teaching Chemistry (MAT Chemistry)
Research Interests
Chemical Education · Organic Chemistry · Biochemistry
Location
San Francisco, California, USA
Professor of Chemistry, Skyline College

Kieran Brown

Kieran Brown
Education
BS Microbial Biology
Research Interests
Radiation Biology · Regenerative Medicine · Single-Cell 'Omics · Microbial Biology · Astrobiology
Location
Mountain View, CA
UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory
Website

James Casaletto

James Casaletto
Education
PhD in bioinformatics at UC Santa Cruz
Research Interests
Federated Machine Learning · Causal Inference · Open Science
Location
Santa Cruz, CA
Website

Jennifer Claudio

Jennifer Claudio
Education
MA Natural Sciences, San Jose State University
Location
NASA Ames Research Center

Thomas Dvorochkin

Thomas Dvorochkin
Education
B.S. in Cognitive Science
Research Interests
Cognitive Neuroscience · Data Science/Analytics · Cognition · Deep Learning · User Experience
Location
Milpitas, CA
Website

Kirill Grigorev

Kirill Grigorev
Education
PhD in Systems Biology from Weill Cornell Medicine
Location
New York, USA
Website

Crystal Han

Crystal Han
Education
M.S. Bioinformatics
Research Interests
Bioinformatics · Data Science · Visualizations · Design · Web Development
Location
Milpitas, CA, USA

Miloslav Karhanek

Miloslav Karhanek
Education
PhD in Biophysics
Research Interests
Bioinformatics · Genomics · Biophysics
Location
Slovakia, Europe
Director of Bioinformatics. Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia.

Garrett A. Roberts Kingman

Garrett Roberts Kingman
Education
Ph.D. Developmental Biology
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Evolutionary Genetics · Habitability · Extremophiles · Synthetic Biology
Location
Sunnyvale, CA
Website

Stephen Lantin

Stephen Lantin
Education
Ph.D. Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Research Interests
Space Biotechnology · Bioregenerative Life Support Systems · Space Ecology · Digital Twins
Location
San Francisco, California, USA
Website

Barbara Novak

Barbara Novak
Education
PhD Biological and Medical Informatics
Research Interests
Bioinformatics · Genomics
Location
San Carlos, California, USA
Website

Kira Rienecker

Photo of Kira Rienecker
Education
PhD in Integrative Neuroscience from Cardiff University
Location
NASA Ames Research Center

Susanne Schubert

Susanne Schubert
Education
Ph.D. Chemistry
Research Interests
Chemistry Education · Surface Science and Thin Film Growth · Empowering Students Through Mentorship
Location
San Bruno, California
Professor at Skyline College
Website

Dunya Shuman

Dunya Shuman
Education
Bachelor of Science in Biology: Concentration Cell and Molecular Biology
Research Interests
Developing and testing yeast biosensors
Location
California, USA
Website

Alexis Torres

Alexis Torres
Education
MS Bioinformatics
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Bioinformatics · Data Science · Machine Learning · Outreach
Location
San Jose, CA, USA
Website

Visiting Scholars

Clayton Xavier Vanegas Aguilar

Clayton Xavier Vanegas Aguilar
Advisor
Dr. Afshin Khan
Education
Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Biology
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Astrophysics · Molecular Biology · Genetics · Astronomy
Saint Petersburg
Website

Beatriz Akiti

Beatriz Toledo Akiti
Advisor
Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma and Priya DasSarma
Education
Finishing an undergraduate course in Biological Sciences
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Microbiology · Synthetic Biology · Bioinformatics
São Paulo, Brazil
Website

Aarti Balana

Aarti Balana
Advisor
Dr. Fathi Karouia
Education
Masters of Science in Mathematics from Indian Institute of Technology
Research Interests
Computer Vision Deep Learning · Brain Computer Interface-Neurotechnology · Robotics · Perception · Electronic Components
India
Website

Estuardo Sebastián Valle Bances

Estuardo Sebastián Valle Bances
Advisor
Dr. Lev Horodyskyj
Education
International High School Degree
Research Interests
Electronics · Machine Learning · Discrete Processes · Smart Farming · Internet Of Things (IoT)
Guatemala
Website

Abrhael Basibas

Abrhael Basibas
Advisor
Dr. Jacob Haqq-Misra
Education
BS Biology
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Microbiology · Space Biology · Space Medicine · Space Settlement
Philippines

Chad Vanden Bosch

Chad Vanden Bosch
Advisor
Dr. Rafael Loureiro
Education
Master's degree of Biology, focus on plant physiology
Website

Taylor Burchard

Taylor Burchard
Advisor
Dr. Scott Perl
Education
BS Biology earned in '22 and currently a PhD Student in Biophysics
Research Interests
Microbiology · Astrobiology · Biosignatures · Nanopores
Riverside, California, USA
Website

Daniela Caizapanta

Danny Caizapanta
Advisor
Dr. Jim Cleaves
Education
Graduated in Geology
Research Interests
Geochemistry · Planetary Geology · Astrogeology · Astrobiology · Chemistry
Quito, Ecuador
Website

Darwin Deivy Zambrano Castellano

Deivy Zambrano Castellano
Advisor
Dr. Lev Horodyskyj
Education
Undergraduate in Law (to complete at 2025) and undergraduate in Astronomy and MBBS
Research Interests
Astrobiology and Searching for Extraterrestrial Life · STEM Cell Regenerative Technology · Dark Matter · Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems · Philosophy of Science and Determinism
Ecuadorian living in Argentina
Website

Denys Cherhykalo

Facial recognition edited image of Denys Cherhykalo
Advisor
Dr. Sasha Kaurov
Education
Currently attaining Master's degree in applied mathematics
Website

Hamed Chok

Hamed Chok
Advisor
Dr. Fathi Karouia
Education
Master's Degree in Computer Science
Research Interests
AI/ML/Algorithms · Applied Mathematics · Scientific Computing · Space Biology
United States
Website

Leonardo Marcello Soto Chumpitaz

Leonardo Soto
Advisor
Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma
Education
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Website

Luke Concollato

Luke Concollato
Advisor
Dr. Rafael Loureiro
Education
MPhys from the University of Oxford
Website

Payel Das

Payel Das
Advisor
Dr. Angélica Anglés
Education
Currently a final year undergraduate student, majoring in Microbiology
Research Interests
Astromicrobiology · Biogeochemical Cycle · Microbes in Extreme Environments · Biosignatures · Origins of Life
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Website

Debdatta Das

Debdatta Das
Advisor
Armando Azua-Bustos
Education
Masters Microbiology
Website

Niannian Ding

Niannian Ding
Advisor
Dr. Tony Jia
Education
Master's Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research Interests
Origins of Life
China
Website

Kelly Dobitz

Kelly Dobitz
Advisor
Dr. Lauren Seyler
Education
Current BSc Student in Natural Sciences (Biology)
Research Interests
Origins of Life
Gairloch, Scotland, UK
Website

Kaoutar Elasri

Kaoutar El Asri
Advisor
Drs. Celia Blanco, Jim Cleaves, & McCullen Sandora
Education
Junior Artificial Intelligence and Biotechnology student
Research Interests
Bioinformatics · Genetics · Artificial Intelligence
Morocco, Agadir

Ilankuzhali Elavarasan

Ilankuzhali Elavarasan
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
B.Tech Aerospace Engineering
Website

Kory Emulut

Kory Emulut
Advisor
Dr. Cassandra Juran
Education
Current BS student in Mechanical Engineering
Research Interests
Space Exploration · Astrobiology
Florida, United States

Bora Eralp

Bora Eralp
Advisor
Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma and Priya DasSarma
Education
Undergraduate student in Molecular Biology and Genetics at Bogazici University, Turkey
Research Interests
Phylogeny · Evolution · Haloarchean
Istanbul, Turkey
Website

Julia Esposito

Julia Esposito
Advisor
Dr. Henderson (Jim) Cleaves
Education
Bachelor's of Arts in Physics and Astronomy with a Biological Concentration
Research Interests
Exoplanets · Prebiotic Chemistry · Origins of Life · Habitability · Data Science
Philadelphia, PA
Website

Danna Camila Jaimes Fajardo

Danna Camila Jaimes Fajardo
Advisor
Dr. Sanjoy Som
Education
Undergrad geology student
Website

Alexander Hope Ferdinand Ferguson

Alexander H. Ferdinand Ferguson
Advisor
Dr. Jacob Haqq-Misra
Education
Masters student at Saint Louis University in Missouri pursing Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests
Space Sustainability · Space Situational Awareness
Saint Louis, Missouri-USA
Website

Dylan Fernandes

Dylan Fernandes
Advisor
Dr. Jim Cleaves
Education
Current MEng Student in Aerospace Science and Engineering
Research Interests
Space Exploration · Space Robotics · Computer Vision · State Estimation · Motion Planning
Ontario, Canada
Website

Dionysios Gakis

Dionysis Gakis
Advisor
Dr. Dimitra Atri
Education
Graduate student in astronomy
Texas, USA
Website

Giane Galhard

Giane Mayumi Galhard
Advisor
Dr. Lev Horodyskyj
Education
Information Systems Bachelor's student at University of São Paulo (Brazil)
Research Interests
Web Development · IoT · Technology in Space
São Paulo, Brazil
Website

Eduardo Alejandro Lozano Garcia

Photo of Eduardo Alejandro Lozano Garcia
Advisor
Dr. Chris Butch
Education
Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering, Instituto Politecnico Nacional
Website

Amira Gomaa

Amira Mohamed Gomaa
Advisor
Dr. Tomasz Zajkowski
Education
Bachelor of Science
Research Interests
Evolution · Genetics · Ecology · Neuroscience.
Cairo, Egypt
Website

Rajat Bhushan Gupta

Rajat Bhushan Gupta
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
Current Masters of Biology of Extreme Environments specializing in Astrobiology at the University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
Research Interests
Extremophiles · Metabolic Pathways · Early Earth Environments · Biomineralization · Science Communication
Italy
Website

Kashish Gupta

Kashish Gupta
Advisor
Dr. Tony Jia
Education
Currently working on Master's in Biochemistry.
Research Interests
Origins of Life · Life Detection · Prebiotic Chemistry · Molecular Evolution · Geobiology.
Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Website

Syeda Ameena Hashmi

Syeda Ameena Hashmi
Advisor
Dr. Celia Blanco
Education
Biotechnology major, Computer Science minor (5th semester)
Research Interests
Data Analysis · Bioinformatics · Microbiology and virology · Origins of Life · Astrobiology
Islamabad, Pakistan

Anushka Iyer

Anushka Iyer
Advisor
Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma and Priya DasSarma
Education
Currently in the 3rd year of my bachelor's degree in Biotechnology
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Geology · Biochemistry · Bioinformatics · Molecular Biology
Mumbai, India

Fernanda Jamel

Fernanda Jamel
Advisor
Dr. Milena Popovic
Education
PhD Student in Geomicrobiology
Website

Aadya Jha

Aadya Jha
Advisor
Dr. Anindita Das
Education
Masters in Science
Research Interests
Ecology · Evolution · Geoinformatics
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Other
Research Scholar at Kalyani University

Gülay Kaya

Gülay Kaya
Advisor
Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma and Priya DasSarma
Education
Junior Molecular Biology and Genetic Student
Research Interests
Phylogeny · Evolution · Haloarchea · Astrobiology
Istanbul, Turkey
Website

Aram Khoshnaw

Aram Rafiq Khoshnaw
Advisor
Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma and Priya DasSarma
Education
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Research Interests
Microbial Evolution and Genomics · Bacteria · Archaea · Space Microbiology
Slemani, Iraqi Kurdistan
Website

Taeyeon Kim

Taeyeon Kim
Advisor
Dr. Jen Blank
Education
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Ryan Kirby

Ryan Kirby
Advisor
Drs. Jen Blank & Graham Lau
Education
B.A. Physics
Research Interests
Science Communication · Education · Outreach
Greater Boston Area, Massachusetts
Website

Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar
Advisor
Dr. Jacbo Haqq Misra
Education
Currently in 4th year of Bachelors + Masters in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology from IIT(BHU)
Research Interests
Renewable energy · Biotechnology · Governance Policy · International Relations · Finance
India

Ophélie Legars-Tousignant

Ophélie Legars-Tousignant
Advisor
Dr. Aubrey Zerkle
Education
Currently in second year of CEGEP
Research Interests
Effective Science Communication
Montréal, Québec, Canada

Jon Lima-Zaloumis

Jon Lima-Zaloumis at the Louvre in France
Advisor
Dr. Jen Blank
Education
PhD in Geological Science
Website

Luisa Lopez

Luisa Fernanda López Monzón
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
Current undergraduate student
Research Interests
STEM Engagement · Genetics · Cell Development · Neurobiology
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Dolly Manic

Dolly Manic
Advisor
Dr. Priscila Kienteca Lange
Education
Bachelor's in Biology from the University of the Philippines
Website

Anurup Mohanty

Anurup Mohanty
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
B.Tech Biotechnology
Website

Javed Akhter Mondal

Javed Akhter Mondal
Advisor
Dr. Jim Cleaves
Education
M.Sc. in Applied Geology from University of Calcutta, India
Website

Disha Mukherjee

Disha Mukherjee
Advisor
Dr. Angélica Anglés
Education
Currently pursuing Integrated MSc degree
Research Interests
T Cell Biology · DNA & RNA · Virology · Epigenetics
India

Shivani Muthineni

Shivani Muthineni
Advisor
Dr. Angélica Anglés
Education
Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, Chemistry and Zoology
Research Interests
Extremophiles- Exobiology- Origin of Life Prebiotic Chemistry- Geo microbiology
Hyderabad, India
Website

Mariam Naseem

Mariam Naseem
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
MBA & BSc Electrical Engineering
Website

Ruth Nichols

Ruth Nichols
Advisor
Dr. Rafael Loureiro
Education
Dual Bachelor of Science in Astrobiology and Mathematical Sciences (Florida Tech '24), Master's in Global Affairs (Schwarzman Scholars, present)
Research Interests
Space Agriculture · Bioastronautics · Data Analytics · Computational Biology · Plant Sciences
Beijing
Website

Tiana Noll-Walker

Tiana Noll-Walker
Advisor
Drs. Jim Cleaves and McCullen Sandora
Education
Bachelor's Degree, Psychology and Data Science
Research Interests
Machine Learning · Data Science · AI Science · Statistics
Seattle, WA

Lorraine Oliveira

Lorraine Christine de Oliveira
Advisor
Dr. Fathi Karouia
Education
Undergraduate Student in Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP)
Website

Fatima Omar

Fatima Omar
Advisor
Drs. Henderson (Jim) Cleaves & McCullen Sandora
Education
Bachelor of Science (BSc) - Physics and Astrophysics
Research Interests
Physics · Astronomy · Astrobiology · Exoplanets · SETI
Manchester, UK
Website

Jonathan Oribello

Jonathan Oribello
Advisor
Dr. Lev Horodyskyj
Education
M.S. Bioinformatics
Research Interests
Bioinformatics · Data Analysis & Visualization
Santa Clara, California, USA

Dorcas Oseni

Dorcas Oseni
Advisor
Daniella Scalice
Education
Masters Student of Space Geophysics
Website

Sibsankar Palit

Sibsankar Palit
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
Currently 3rd year of Bachelor of Science Honours Chemistry
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Chemistry · Biosignatures · Space Mission Design · Space Studies
Barasat, West Bengal, India
Website

Christopher Patterson

Christopher Patterson
Advisor
Dr. Jen Blank
Education
M.Sc Candidate (University of Guelph Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility)
Website

Meri Herrero Perez

Meri Herrero
Advisor
Dr. Sanjoy Som
Education
PhD student in the field of prebiotic chemistry
Research Interests
Prebiotic Chemistry · Origins of Life · Biogeochemistry · Science Communication · Education
Troy, NY, USA
Website

Arunava Poddar

Arunava Poddar
Advisor
Dr. Tony Jia
Education
Masters in Environmental Contamination and Toxicology under the Erasmus Mundus Program
Website

Sriya Pothapragada

Sriya Pothapragada
Advisor
Dr. Celia Blanco
Education
B.S. in Bioengineering. Currently a Genetics Ph.D. student at Clemson University
Research Interests
Evolutionary Genomics · Adaptation · Biophysics
Clemson, South Carolina
Website

Nikhil Pradeep

Nikhil Pradeep
Advisor
Dr. Fathi Karouia
Education
BS-MS (Research) in Biological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Website

Marta Puente Prada

Marta Puente
Advisor
Dr. Cassandra Juran
Education
Currently a final-year BE student in Health Engineering (concentration in Biomedical Engineering)
Research Interests
Biomedical Engineering · Bioastronautics · Astronautics · Planetary Science
Seville, Spain

Miguel Luiz Puga

Miguel Luiz Puga
Advisor
Dr. Lev Horodyskyj
Education
Undergraduate student of Information Systems at the University of São Paulo (Brazil).
Research Interests
Biotechnology · Gamification · Space Biology
São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Website

Rabeea Rasheed

Rabeea Rasheed
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
Studying Psychology at the University of Management and Technology
Website

Danyal Reyaz

Danyal Reyaz
Advisor
Dr. Jim Cleaves
Education
Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology with specialization in Genetic Engineering
Research Interests
Stem Cells · Genetics · Cancer · Bioinformatics · Astrobiology
India
Website

Rafael Rianço-Silva

Rafael Rianço-Silva
Advisor
Dr. Jim Cleaves
Education
Master Student in Astrophysics at the University of Lisbon and Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço
Website

Taniya Roy

Taniya Roy
Advisor
Dr. Tomasz Zajkowski
Education
Pursuing Master's in Medical Science
Website

Nicole Jimeno Ruiz

Nicole Jimeno
Advisor
Dr. Sanjoy Som
Education
Waiting to receive my bachelor degree in Geological Engineering
Research Interests
Geochemistry · Evaporites · Planetary Mapping · Mars · Analogs
La Paz, Bolivia
Website

Juan Alberto Ruiz

Profile of Juan Alberto Ruiz
Advisor
Drs. Graham Lau and Thilina Heenatigala
Education
Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
Website

Nived Santhosh

Nived Santhosh
Advisor
Dr. Fathi Karouia
Education
MS Biology
Research Interests
Ecology & Evolution · Space Biology · Life in Extreme Environments · Microbiology · Omics
Mumbai, India
Website

Serhat Sevgen

Serhat Sevgen
Advisor
Dr. Sanjoy Som
Education
M.Sc. Oceanography (Institute of Marine Sciences, METU)
Website

Vinayak Shastri

Vinayak Shastri
Advisor
Dr. Mark Claire
Education
Currently pursuing PhD - Planetary Sciences, The Open University (UK)
Website

Annie Shelton

Annie Shelton
Advisor
Dr. Rafael Loureiro
Education
BS in Neuroscience with a minor in Plant Biology from the University of California, Riverside
Website

Allison Tee

Allison Tee
Advisor
Dr. Celia Blanco
Education
Undergraduate junior at Stanford University studying math and computer science
Research Interests
Computer Science · Biocomputation · Neurocomputation · Machine Learning
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Website

Esin Üsküplü

Esin Üsküplü
Advisor
Dr. Afshin Khan
Education
4th year undergraduate student
Research Interests
Origins of Life · Physics Principles · Biology
İstanbul/ Türkiye
Website

Cynthia Elizabeth Valenzuela Chapa

Cyndi Chapa
Advisor
Dr. Lauren Seyler
Education
Currently final year of a Bachelor in Science on Genomic Biotechnology
Research Interests
Synthetic Biology · Astrobiology · Mycology · Microbiology · Extremophiles
Monterrey, México
Website

Ishita Verma

Ishita Verma
Advisor
Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma and Priya DasSarma
Education
BTech in Biotechnology (Currently 3rd year undergraduate)
Website

Omar Wanis

Omar Wanis
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
B.Sc. in Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering
Website

Jessica Xhumari

Jessica Xhumari
Advisor
Dr. Graham Lau
Education
Pursuing PhD on microbiome & space/astrobiology
Research Interests
Astrobiology · Microbiology · Science Communication · Philosophy · Consciousness
Gainesville, Florida, USA
Website

Ruixian Zhu

Ruixian Zhu
Advisor
Dr. Jacob Haqq-Misra
Education
Undergraduate (graduating senior | International Politics
Research Interests
Geopolitics on Mars · Mars Governance · Mars Colonization · New Order
CN/USA
Website