People

Dr Burr▒s primary interest are the landforms that result from fluid flow. Fluid flow includes flow by water that formed ancient rivers deposits on Mars, as well as flow in current rivers of liquid nitrogen on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. Dr Burr also studies the deposits formed by the flow of air, or wind, on Mars and Titan. In addition, Dr. Burr studies lava flows on Mars and the tectonic landforms on icy satellites of the outer Solar System.

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Dr. Chien is devoted to teaching astronomy, astrophysics, and indigenous astronomy at all levels. She enjoys learning new effective teaching methods and implementing them into her learner-centered classes. Dr. Chien is also a strong supporter of women and diversity in the STEM field. Her research focuses on starbursts, star formation history, and dynamics of interacting and merging galaxies, through the use of spectroscopy and imaging of newly-formed clusters, as well as simulations of galaxy interactions.

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Dr. Edwards is a planetary geologist and instrument developer. His research focuses on constraining early solar system processes by using the composition, physical properties and processes, and morphology of planetary surfaces. He is a participating scientist on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover, and has works actively with numerous other NASA Mars missions including the 2001 Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System, Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars.

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Dr. Emery applies the techniques of astronomical reflection and emission spectroscopy and spectrophotometry of primitive and icy bodies in the near- (0.8 to 5.0 microns) and mid-infrared (5 to 50 microns) to investigate the formation and evolution of the Solar System and the distribution of organic material. The Jupiter Trojan asteroids have been a strong focus of his research, and he also regularly observes Kuiper Belt objects, icy satellites, and other asteroid groups to understand the state of their surfaces as related to these topics. Along with telescopic observations, he contributes to Solar System exploration as a science team member on the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission, the Lucy Trojan asteroid flyby mission, and the NEO Surveyor Mission infrared telescope mission.

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Dr. Loeffler uses laboratory experiments to simulate processes that occur in extraterrestrial environments. These studies typically focus on how radiation and thermal processes can alter the physical and chemical properties of the surface with the goal of trying to understand how these environments evolve over time.

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I work on theoretical and computational astrophysics with a focus on planet formation, planet dynamics and astrophysical fluid dynamics. I use super-computer simulations and pencil-and-paper calculations to study how planets, stars or blackholes evolve over short and long time-scales as they interact with surrounding gas to explain their observed orbital properties.

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Alicia earned her BS in Aerospace Engineering and her MS in Forestry from Texas A&M University in 2004 and 2006. She earned her PhD in Geological Sciences from Arizona State University in 2015. Alicia▒s research integrates remote sensing, field work, and laboratory measurements to better understand planetary surface processes and the role of climate in alteration processes. She is especially interested in using geochemistry and mineralogy to investigate cryosphere-bedrock interactions on Earth and Mars. Her work in the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science focuses on investigating the composition and origin of weathering products at Mars analog field sites such as the Cascades Range, Oregon, USA, and the summit glaciers of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Alicia is a team member on the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) aboard NASA▒s Mars Odyssey.

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Dr. Salvatore studies the evolution of planetary surfaces and landscapes. His research has focused primarily on Antarctica and Mars, where cold and dry conditions dominate the surface and result in unique geologic processes. His work uses a combination of satellite image analyses, laboratory analyses, and field work. Dr. Salvatore is also a member of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover team.

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Dr. Tegler uses ground-based telescopes to study the physical and chemical properties of Kuiper belt objects at the edge of the Solar System. In addition, he conducts laboratory experiments to study the physical and chemical properties of ices important to understanding processes on the surfaces of outer Solar System objects. The overarching goal of Dr. Tegler▒s research is to better understand the origin and evolution of the Solar System.

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Dr. Thomas uses ground and space-based telescopes to study near-Earth, Main Belt, and Trojan asteroids. Her research focuses on using spectroscopy to study the composition and physical properties of the surfaces of asteroids. She is also performs observations in support of spacecraft missions and works with the science team for NASA▒s OSIRIS-REx mission.

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Dr. Trilling studies the small bodies in our Solar System to understand how our planetary system formed and evolved. He uses telescopes all over the world and in space, as well as astroinformatics projects that use archival and survey data. He also has interests in instrumentation, astrobiology, and just about everything else.

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Dr. Trujillo searches for new dwarf planets and minor planets on the outer edge of our solar system. He has been involved in the discovery and characterization of Kuiper Belt Objects, Centaurs, Comets and Active Asteroids including seven of the ten largest dwarf planets in our solar system. He is very interested in data-intensive science and is currently looking for the presence of a possible giant planet undiscovered in our own solar system.

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Mike Gowanlock obtained his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2015, and was a postdoctoral associate at MIT Haystack Observatory from 2015-2017. Mike is an associate professor in the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems at NAU where he works on research in parallel and high performance computing across numerous application areas. His work with the Department of Astronomy & Planetary Science is focused on designing new parallel algorithms to support large-scale surveys, such as the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and the Rubin Observatory (RO), where high throughput computational approaches are needed to maximize the scientific return of these surveys. Currently, he is working on the Solar System Notification Alert Processing System, which is a ZTF and RO alert broker.

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Dr. Hanley works in collaboration with the NAU Astrophysical Ice Lab to investigate the stability and spectral properties of liquids and ices at low temperatures and pressures with relevance to the outer solar system, especially Titan and Pluto. Other research interests include studying the stability of water on Mars and Europa in the presence of salts through lab work, remote sensing, and telescopic observations.

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In the Lindberg group, we apply theoretical and computational chemistry methods to understand complex, condensed phase systems. We’re generally interested in understanding how it is that ‘molecules bouncing around’ can result in the universe that we see. A few recent projects include investigating astrochemistry of the outer solar system, therapeutic applications of ionic liquids, and ion transport in electrochemical systems.

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Nathan develops software to process thermal infrared spectra collected by the EMIRS instrument onboard the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM). EMM has orbited Mars since 2021, studying Mars’ atmosphere. Nathan creates data visualizations and helps maintain EMIRS’ data processing pipeline. He also organizes mission operations for EMIRS, leading a team to create and verify the commands sent to the instrument. He earned his MS in Applied Physics at NAU in 2018, studying the thermophysical properties of Phobos.

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Ground-based, space-based, and airborne telescopic observations of small Solar System bodies in the ultraviolet, visible and near infrared, and mid-infrared.

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I seek to better understand past and present surface environments on Mars by improving tools for interpreting orbital datasets. This broad effort materializes in the form of statistical analysis of remote sensing data, analog field work, thermophysical modelling and laboratory thermal emission observations.

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OH/H2O characterization of near-Earth Asteroids.

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Computational Orbital Dynamics; Outer Solar System Observations; Small Solar System Bodies; Planet X.

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Dr. Stcherbinine is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the PIXEL Research Group. His research focuses on the water ice-related story of Mars through infrared orbital observations provided by multiple probes currently orbiting the Red Planet. More specifically, he is interested in the detection and characterization of water ice clouds in the Martian atmosphere, as well as current and past surface alteration processes, especially under polar latitudes.

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Characterization of planetary atmospheres via remote sensing and modeling.

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Cheng Ye studies the composition and evolution of planetary surfaces. His research focuses on using spectroscopy from visible to infrared wavelengths through a combination of laboratory measurements, remote sensing observations, and numerical models to better understand the planetary surface compositions and geologic processes.

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Name	Affiliation	E-mail
Will Grundy, Planetary Science	Lowell Observatory	grundy@lowell.edu
Philip Massey, Evolution of Massive Stars	Lowell Observatory	Phil.Massey@lowell.edu
Maggie McAdam, Planetary Science	SOFIA Science Center	maggie.mcadam@nasa.gov
Lisa Prato, Young Binary Systems	Lowell Observatory	lprato@lowell.edu
David Schultz, Computational Astrophysics	Universities Research Association	david.schultz@nau.edu
Donna Weistrop, Astronomy	UNLV/NAU	weistrop@physics.unlv.edu

Name	E-mail
Kathy Eastwood, Ph.D., Astronomy	Kathy.Eastwood@nau.edu
Richard Hall, Ph.D., Photometry	Richard.Hall@nau.edu
David Koerner, Ph.D., Astronomy	David.Koerner@nau.edu
Barry Lutz, Ph.D., Laboratory Astrophysics	Barry.Lutz@nau.edu

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Advisor: Mark Salvatore
Research: Astrobiology: Investigating remote and in situ biosignatures on Mars and exoplanets using Antarctic analogs.

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Advisor: David Trilling
Research: Maria is studying asteroids and other Solar System objects through a data science driven approach. She is helping build the Solar system Notification Alert Pipeline System (SNAPS) for LSST (Vera C. Rubin Observatory). Site: https://rc.nau.edu/snaps/about.html.
Interested in the overlap between observational astronomy and the application of data science to large data.

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Advisor: Mark Salvatore
Research: Using remote sensing and terrestrial analogs to characterize surface geology and mass movements on Mars.

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Advisor: Jennifer Hanley (Lowell Observatory) and Stephen Tegler
Research: Experimentally probing the physical chemistry that is present in and around Titan’s lakes.

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Advisor: Christopher Edwards and David Trilling
Research: Laura is the Instrument Scientist and Ground Support Lead for VISIONS, a student-lead, low-cost, dual-wavelength imager for small-satellite platforms for deep-space/interplanetary missions. In addition, she looks over operation plans and telemetry for EMIRS. Future research may involve thermal roughness and the 3 micron hydration feature on planetary bodies.

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Advisor: David Trilling
Research: I seek to understand the physical properties of small bodies in the Solar System, specifically near-Earth asteroids. I use as many observational techniques as possible, including the Arecibo Observatory, the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, and the Lowell Discovery Telescope.

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Advisor: Mark Salvatore
Research: My research involves the study of extraterrestrial planets using comparable areas on Earth (terrestrial analogs). I plan to investigate fundamental geologic processes to better understand our Solar System and our Universe at large.

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Advisor: Josh Emery
Research: Observation & characterization of small-bodies; spectral modeling.

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Advisor: Stephen Tegler (NAU), Will Grundy (Lowell Observatory)
Research: Studying volatile materials on Pluto and other outer solar system bodies in the Astrophysical Materials Lab.

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Advisor: David Trilling
Research: I study the small bodies of the Solar System using observational surveys and archival data searches. I’m interested in understanding the connection between these populations’ physical characteristics and their roles in the origin and formation of the Solar System.

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Advisor: Jennifer Hanley (Lowell Observatory)
Research: Studying Titan through a combination of ground-based observations, laboratory experiments, and atmospheric modelling to better understand the global weather patterns and exchange of materials between Titan’s surface and atmosphere.

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Advisor: Ty Robinson
Research: Modeling of Exoplanetary Atmospheres.

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