Rutgers University
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Wright Geological Laboratory 345
610 Taylor Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854-8066 U.S.A.
Education
- PhD, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany
Courses
- Undergraduate: Planet Mars
- Graduate: Seminar "Planetary Sciences"
Research Interests
My research focuses on investigating the formation and evolution of differentiated planetary bodies, such as Moon, Mars, and Earth.
I study in detail the mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry of planetary samples by using field techniques for terrestrial analogues and micro-analytical techniques. Such techniques include ElectronProbeMicroAnalyzer (EPMA), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and optical microscopy.
I combine these techniques with experimental techniques, such as 1 atm gas-mixing furnaces, hydrothermal diamond anvil cells, and Laser Irradiation Space Weathering experiments in order to learn about crustal and mantle evolution of the parental planetary bodies.
I am specifically interested in:
I) rock types poorly/not represented by returned samples and their formation histories especially on the Moon,
II) the chemical and physical conditions and evolutionary history of parental melt on planetary bodies, especially Mars,
III) the volatile constituents of planetary interiors,
IV) the use of planetary materials as ground truth for remote sensing,
V) the effect of micrometeorite bombardment and impact gardening on airless planetary surfaces,
and VI) terrestrial analogues to planetary environments.
Wright-Rieman Laboratories