Planetary Geophysicist, studying the geology, climate, and resources of Mars with radar, thermal, and other spacecraft data since 2001. 14 years prior experience with terrestrial active-source seismic data in academia and industry. Expertise in processing, modeling, and interpretation of remote-sensing data, software development, training course design and instruction, personnel and project management, and team leadership.
Planetary Science Institute
405 Urban Street, Suite 300
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
Education
PhD Geophysics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
GPA 3.9/4.0. SEG Scholarship. Advisors: Michael Mellon, Bruce Jakosky
Dissertation: Thermal inertia and surface heterogeneity on MarsAug 2001 – Dec 2006 Industry Training: 23 weeks in geoscience and computer systems Feb 1989 – Mar 1999 MA Geophysics, Rice University, Houston, Texas
GPA 3.8/4.0. Presidential Fellowship. Advisor: Alan Levander
Thesis: Modeling wide-angle seismic data from the central California marginAug 1986 – May 1988 BS Geophysical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado
GPA 3.7/4.0. Minor in geology; six weeks geophysical field course
Aug 1982 – May 1986 Valedictorian, Berne–Knox–Westerlo High School, Berne, New York Sep 1978 – Jun 1982 NASA Mission Science Teams
SHARAD, the Shallow Radar on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
US/Deputy Team Leader, appointed in 2015 to succeed Roger Phillips
Co-Investigator, appointed in 2013
Liason to Phoenix and Mars Science Laboratory landing site analysis teamsOct 2006 – present InSight Landing Site Analysis Team, Co-Investigator May 2014 – present MARSIS, the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding Oct 2006 – present THEMIS, the Thermal Emission Imaging System on Mars Odyssey 2002 – present TES, the Thermal Emission Spectrometer on Mars Global Surveyor Aug 2001 – Nov 2006 Beagle II and Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity Landing Sites Analysis Team 2002 – 2006 Experience
Planetary Science Institute (PSI), Lakewood, Colorado
Associate Director and Senior Scientist. Analyzing the regolith and near-surface ices of Mars using orbital radar, thermal observations, and other data.
Founder and Manager of PSI's Colorado office (opened July 2016)
Project Manager for CO-SHARPS, the Colorado SHARAD Processing System
Project Manager for MARSTHERM Thermophysical Analysis Tools for Mars Research
Co-PI with Gareth Morgan (PSI) of the Mars Subsurface Water Ice Mapping (SWIM) Team
Research Advisor to one post-doc, two research scientists, four research associates, three research assistants, three PGGURP/SUPPR interns, and seven high-school interns.
May 2016 – present
Colorado School of Mines, Department of Geophysics, Golden, Colorado
Adjunct Professor. Collaborative research and student advising since 2016.Feb 2017 – present
Univ. of Colorado, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, Colorado
Adjoint Associate Professor. Advising graduate students and supporting their research through NASA PGG, MFRP, and JPL CDP grants since 2010.Jul 2015 – present
Southwest Research Institute, Department of Space Studies, Boulder, Colorado
Principal Scientist. See PSI activities.
Research Advisor to one post-doc, one research assistant, four graduate students, and three PGGURP students.
Apr 2007 – 2016
Washington University, Earth and Planetary Sciences, St. Louis, Missouri
Postdoctoral Research Associate. Analysis of subsurface radar data from SHARAD and MARSIS. Advisor: Roger PhillipsOct 2006 – Oct 2007 University of Colorado, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, Colorado
Graduate Research Assistant. Global derivation, mapping, and analysis of thermal inertia with TES and THEMIS. Advisor: Michael MellonAug 2001 – Sep 2006 EarthTrip: A one-year journey through 42 countries in three continents. Aug 2000 – Jul 2001 Mid-career course correction... Geomancer, Houston, Texas
Geophysical Consultant. Founded consultancy offering exploration and systems services to the oil and gas industry. Carried out 2D and 3D seismic processing and interpretation, mapping prospects in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisianna, Mississippi, Alabama, the Gulf of Mexico, and Paradox Basin. Provided network and systems administration services. Developed training courses and provided on-site instruction for seismic interpretation and Unix. Primary clients: PetroCorp; JN Oil & Gas; Broughton Operating.Nov 1996 – Jul 2000 CogniSeis Development, Inc., Houston, Texas
Manager, Customer Support. Oversaw 28-person department providing technical support, system staging, software installation, and applications training for several hundred clients encompassing six geoscience application suites. Corrected deficiencies in staffing levels and product knowledge with strategic hiring and cross-training of existing staff.Nov 1995 – Oct 1996 Photon Systems Inc., Houston, Texas
Manager, Geoscience Support. Supervised four professionals and provided support and training of seismic and well interpretation software for a hundred US and Latin American clients. Provided technical assistance in client evaluations critical to dozens of workstation and software sales. Developed training courses ond provided training to 45 clients in twelve one-week courses. Performed 50 custom site installations and wrote an extensive body of code for format conversion, third-party product integration, and software problem tracking.Nov 1993 – Nov 1995 Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas
Exploration Geophysicist. Provided seismic data acquisition design and processing for exploration prospects in Yemen, West Texas, and Michigan Basins. Expertise with mixed-source datasets and resolution of near-surface noise problems with refraction statics modeling. Received monetary award for leading seven-person team in developing a cost-saving, superior processing method for a Yemen dataset. Performed user training and coordinated user feedback for internal and vendor refraction statics software.Jun 1988 – Oct 1993 Rice University, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Houston, Texas
Graduate Research Assistant. Participated in the design and acquisition of an experimental wide-angle reflection–refraction survey across the North American–Pacific plate margin in central California. Led the interpretation of the refraction data. Advisor: Alan Levander.Aug 1986 – May 1988 Memberships and Certifications
American Geophysical Union
Division of Planetary Scientists of the American Astronomical Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Geological Society of America
Registered Engineer in Training, State of Colorado, April 1986
Certified White Water Raft Guide, Arkansas River, Colorado, June 1997NASA Service Activities
International Mars Ice Mapper VHF Sounder Instrument Definition Team 2023 International Mars Ice Mapper Measurement Definition Team 2021 – 2023 Member, NASA Mars Architecture Strategy Working Group 2019 – 2021 Co-Chair, MEPAG Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis Group 2018 – 2019 Member, MEPAG Next Mars Orbiter Science Analysis Group 2015 Grants and Awards
NASA Early Career Fellowship Program PI, ARES: The Autonomous Roving Exploration System for Mars (funded 2019) 2016 NASA JPL Critical Data Products Program Co-PI, Subsurface Water Ice Mapping (SWIM) on Mars Co-PI: Gareth Morgan (PSI) 2019 Co-PI, Subsurface Water Ice Mapping (SWIM) in the Northern Hemisphere of Mars Co-PI: Gareth Morgan (PSI) 2018 PI, Mapping of Buried Water Ice in Arcadia Planitia and Beyond with Radar and Thermal Data 2017 PI, Surface Properties from Radar and Thermophysical Data for InSight 2013 NASA Mars Data Analysis Program PI, High-resolution three-dimensional radar mapping, analysis, and modeling of the internal layers within the north polar layered deposits 2022 Co-I, The Modification of Circumpolar Craters in the Martian Cryosphere PI: Asmin Pathare (PSI) 2020 Co-I, 3D subsurface imaging and analysis of the Martian polar regions with MARSIS data PI: Fritz Foss (FREAQS) 2018 Co-I, Deciphering the Martian Surface and Near-surface with Radar Statistics PI: Cyril Grima (UT-Austin) 2018 Co-I, Determining the radar loss properties of the south polar layered deposits on Mars PI: Jennifer Whitten (Tulane) 2018 Co-I, Characterization of Hydrated, Layered Deposits at the Valles Marineris Plateau from SHARAD, HiRISE, and CRISM, a Multidisciplinary Approach PI: Isaac Smith (PSI) 2016 PI, Advanced 3-D Subsurface Imaging and Analysis of Planum Boreum with SHARAD Data 2015 Co-I, Understanding Layered Ejecta ("Lobate") Craters on Mars: Keys to Subsurface Water? PI: Stuart Robbins (SwRI) 2014 PI, 3-D Subsurface Imaging and Analysis of Planum Australe with SHARAD Data 2012 Co-I, Martian sediment production: An investigation into the relative roles of chemical and mechanical weathering. PI: Victoria Hamilton (SwRI) 2010 PI, 3-D Subsurface Imaging and Analysis of Planum Boreum with SHARAD Data 2009 Co-I, Linking Visible and Radar Stratigraphy in the Martian Polar Deposits. PI: Kathryn Fishbaugh / Patrick Russell (Smithsonian) 2008 NASA Mars Fundamental Research Program PI, Thermal Effects of Physical Heterogeneity on Mars 2010 NASA NextSTEP-2 Program Appendix D: In Situ Resource Utilization Technology Co-I, RedWater: Extraction of Water from Mars' Ice Deposits PI: Kris Zacny (Honeybee Robotics) 2018 NASA Planetary Data Archiving, Restoration, and Tools Program PI, MARSTHERM 2.0: Enhanced Thermophysical Analysis Tools for Mars Research 2021 PI, Planetary Orbital Radar Processing and Simulation System (PORPASS) 2019 Co-I, High resolution 3D imaging of SHARAD data PI: Paul Sava (CSM) 2018 NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program Early Career Fellow, selected in conjunction with PG&G 2013 grant 2014 PI, Material Properties of Dune Fields in the Southern Highlands of Mars from Thermophysical Observations and Modeling 2013 PI, Material Properties of the North Polar Erg on Mars from Observations and Modeling of Thermophysical Behavior 2007 NASA Planetary Mission Concept Studies Program Co-PI, Mars Orbiter for Resources, Ices, and Environments (MORIE) PI: Wendy Calvin (UNR) 2019 NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) Co-I, Geophysical Sounding Services for Mars In Situ Resource Utilization Field Analog Study, a subcontract of the Resource Exploration and Science of OUR Cosmic Environment (RESOURCE) Project. PI: Jennifer Heldmann (NASA Ames) 2020 SwRI Internal Research Program Co-I, Modeling of Exotic Ice Glaciers on Pluto and Mars. PI: Isaac Smith (SwRI) 2016 Co-I, Search for Chemical and Mechanical Weathering Processes on Mars PI: Victoria Hamilton (SwRI) 2010 NASA Group Achievement Awards Ames Honor Award to RESOURCE Team 2020 MRO Comet Siding Spring Observing Team 2015 MRO SHARAD Science Team, for polar/ice studies 2011 US SHARAD Team, for radar sounder processing and analysis tools 2009 Publications