People
Research Scientists
Dimitra Atri
Senior Research Investigator
Ph.D. Physics
exoplanets · space weather · cosmic rays · astrobiology · habitability
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Jennifer Blank
Senior Research Investigator
Ph.D. Geochemistry
Mars Curiosity mission · biogeochemistry · prebiotic chemistry · experimental petrology and fluid geochemistry · stable isotope geochemistry
Mountain View, California
Henderson (Jim) Cleaves
Senior Research Investigator
Ph.D. Chemistry & Biochemistry
origins of life · prebiotic chemistry · astrobiology · primitive self-replicating molecules · organic synthesis
Washington, D.C.
Jacob Haqq-Misra
Senior Research Investigator
Ph.D. Meteorology & Astrobiology
planetary habitability · atmospheric dynamics · space settlement · technosignatures · environmental ethics
Clayton, Delaware
Betul Kacar
Senior Research Investigator
Ph.D. Biomolecular Chemistry
experimental evolution · protein networks · molecular resurrection · systems biology · complex life
Phoenix, AZ
Milena Popovic
Senior Research Investigator
Ph.D. Biochemistry
astrobiology · origin of life · RNA world · in vitro evolution · RNA structure and function
Mountain View, California
Sanjoy Som
Senior Research Investigator
Ph.D. Planetary Sciences & Astrobiology
Evolution of air pressure · Co-evolution of Earth and life · Water-rock interactions · Life independent of light · Public outreach
Mountain View, California
Anamaria Berea
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Economics & Ph.D. Computational Social Sciences
complex systems · economics · data science · biosignatures · technosignatures · astrobiology
Chris Butch
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering
Nucleic Acids · Biochemistry · Prebiotic Chemistry · Drug Design · Machine Learning
Atlanta, Georgia
Afshin Khan
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Environmental Science
astrobiology · geomicrobiology · Earth and life system science
Pasadena, California, USA
Graham Lau
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Geological Sciences & Astrobiology
astrobiology · geochemistry · Earth system science · philosophy of science fiction · communication studies
Boulder, Colorado
Ivan Paulino Lima
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Biophysics
astrobiology · extremophiles · microbiology · synthetic biology · science communication
Mountain View, California
Rafael Loureiro
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Botany
applied plant physiology · space horticulture · plant pigment and planetary co-evolution · science policy
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Omer Markovitch
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Chemistry
origin of life · prebiotic evolution · systems chemistry · water structure and dynamics · computational chemistry
Groningen, The Netherlands
Shawn McGlynn
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Biochemistry
sulfur isotope fractionation · microbial ecophysiology · cell interfaces and electron transfer · metalloproteins · origin of life
Tokyo, Japan
Andro Rios
Research Investigator
Ph.D. Chemistry
organic chemistry · prebiotic chemistry · astrobiology · chemical education · metabolic diseases
Mountain View, California
Daniella Scalice
Research Investigator
B.S. Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology
astrobiology · STEM outreach · cross-cultural education · science communication
Annapolis, Maryland
Zach Adam
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Earth Sciences
micropaleontology · Precambrian evolution · complexity · origins of life · ECLSS
Boston, Massachusetts
Daniel Angerhausen
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrophysics
exoplanets · astrobiology · airborne astronomy · mission design · science communication
Bern, Switzerland
Arsev Aydinoglu
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Communication & Information Science
interdisciplinary studies · origin of life · science communication · research data management · astrobiology
Ankara, Turkey
Armando Azua-Bustos
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
xerophiles - astrobiology · space research · microbial ecology · extreme environments · science communication
Madrid, Spain
Laurie Barge
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Geological Sciences
origin of life · prebiotic chemistry · geochemical energetics · electrochemistry · self-organizing structures
Pasadena, California
Julia Brodsky
Affiliate Research Scientist
M.S. Astrophysics
early astrobiology education · astrobiology · cognitive astrobiology · systems thinking in education · questioning in education
Rockville, Maryland, USA
Juan Carlos Chavez
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Information Science
Digital Divide · Information Poverty · Indigenous Systems of Knowledge · Indigenous Technologies · Astrobiology and Indigenous Origins of Life
Meg Cheng-Campbell
Affiliate Research Scientist
M.S. Bioengineering
stem cell biology · bioengineering · science communication · education
Mountain View, California
Mark Claire
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrobiology
atmospheric chemistry · science policy · science education · biogeochemistry · planetary habitability
St. Andrews, U.K.
Shiladitya DasSarma
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Biochemistry
Extremophiles · Astrobiology · Biotechnology · Biomedical Applications · Climate Action
Baltimore, Maryland
Julia DeMarines
Affiliate Research Scientist
M.S. Space Studies
astrobiology · biosignatures · Titan · science communication · astrobiology education
Oakland, California
Aaron Goldman
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Microbiology
computational biology · astrobiology · bioinformatics · science education · philosophy of science
Oberlin, Ohio
Natalie Grefenstette
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Chemistry
Origins of Life · Astrobiology · Life Detection · Agnostic Biosignatures · Laws and Universal Principles of Biology
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Craig Hardgrove
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Geology
Mars rover instrumentation · geomorphology · spectroscopy · geochemistry · commercial/academic partnerships
Phoenix, Arizona
Lev Horodyskyj
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Geosciences & Astrobiology
astrobiology · science communication · digital education · soils · planetary habitability
Tempe, Arizona
Heshan “Grasshopper” Illangkoon
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Biochemistry
synthetic biology · organic chemistry · molecular evolution · prebiotic chemistry · astrobiology education
Gainesville, Florida
Tony Z. Jia
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Chemistry
Prebiotic Chemistry · Astrobiology · DNA/RNA Sequencing · Nanomaterials/Self-Assembly · Membraneless Compartments
Tokyo, Japan
Fathi Karouia
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Biology
Space Biology · Astrobiology · Omics · Space Technologies · Human Spaceflight
San Francisco, CA
Mike Kubo
Affiliate Research Scientist
B.S. Chemistry
astrobiology · subsurface biosphere · science education · analytical chemistry · isotopic analysis
Mountain View, California
Priscila Lange
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Earth Sciences
oceanography · phytoplankton ecology · remote sensing · NASA-PACE mission · science communication
Laurel, Maryland
Mike Lee
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Biology
bioinformatics · microbial ecology · microbial evolution · deep biosphere · space biology
Mountain View, California
Jeff Marlow
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Geobiology
microbiology · metabolic activity · methane seeps · proteomics · extremophiles
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Haritina Mogosanu
Affiliate Research Scientist
M.S. International Security & M.S. Environmental Management
astrobiology education · planetary protection · international security · cultural astronomy · science communication
Wellington, New Zealand
Rakesh Mogul
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Biological & Organic Chemistry
extremotolerance · planetary protection · spacecraft-associated microorganisms · biochemistry · lipoxygenase structure & function
Pomona, California
Brendan Mullan
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrophysics
STEM education · Fermi Paradox · extragalactic astronomy · astrophysics · astrobiology
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Preeti Nema
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Microbiology
abiotic stress responses · extremophiles · origin of life · astrobiology · science popularization
Pune, India
Mrina Nikrad
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Marine Science
extremophile metabolism · microbial ecology · origin of life · human space exploration · science communication
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Siddharth Pandey
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Space Systems Engineering
Mars exploration · sample acquisition · in-situ resource utilization · mission design · aerospace engineering
Mumbai, India
Scott Perl
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Geological Sciences & Geobiology
Astrobiology · Planetary Geology · Geobiology · Mineralogy · Habitability
Pasadena, California, USA
Carl Pilcher
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Chemistry & Masters of Public Affairs
astrobiology · cancer
Sebastopol, California
Sukrit Ranjan
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrophysics
Early Earth · Prebiotic Chemistry · Atmospheric Biosignatures · Atmospheric Photochemistry · Radiative Transfer
Edward “Eddie” Schwieterman
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrobiology
Astrobiology · Exoplanets · Biosignatures · Spectral Modeling · Science Outreach
Riverside, California
Lauren Seyler
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Biological Oceanography
microbial ecology · origin of life · exobiology · biological oceanography · geomicrobiology
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Svetlana Shkolyar
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Geological Sciences
astrobiology · Mars · rover missions · Raman spectroscopy · outreach & communication
Washington, D.C.
Rebecca Thombre
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Microbiology
Microbiology · Extremophiles · Astrobiology · Biomedical Sciences · Science Communication
United Kingdom
Parag Vaishampayan
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Microbiology
astrobiology · extreme environments · planetary protection · bioinformatics · microbial diversity
Pasadena, California
Sara Imari Walker
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Physics & Astronomy
origins of life · cosmology · computer modeling · complex systems · astrobiology education
Phoenix, Arizona
Gina Misra
Affiliate Research Scientist
M.S. Cell and Molecular Biology
Food Safety in Space · Plant Physiology in Microgravity · Biological Life Support Systems · Sustainability · Plant Biotic Interactions
Delaware, USA
Tomasz Zajkowski
Affiliate Research Scientist
Ph.D. Biochemistry
Origin of life · Prions · Evolution · Synthetic biology · Space microbiology
California, USA
