Prajkta Mane (Ph.D. Student, School of Earth and Space Exploration) M.Sc., Indian Institute of Technology (2010)
Karen Rieck (Ph.D. Candidate, School of Earth and Space Exploration) M.S., Arizona State University (2008) - Karen studies the ionized particles which comprise the solar wind. The solar wind is used as a surrogate for the original solar nebula, and is used as a baseline from which to track changes as the Sun and the planets were formed. Karen is working with the Genesis Science Team to develop techniques for measuring the concentrations of elements in the solar wind, collected as part of NASA's Genesis Mission.
Matthew Sanborn (Ph.D. Candidate, School of Earth and Space Exploration) B.S., Arizona State University (2007) - Matt's current research involves measuring trace elements and isotopic compositions of a particular class of differentiated meteorites, the angrites, to try and understand the petrogenetic processes that occurred in the early Solar System.
Lev Spivak-Birndorf (Ph.D. Candidate, School of Earth and Space Exploration) M.S., University of Pittsburgh (2007) - Lev studies the origin and evolution of solar system materials using stable and radiogenic isotope techniques. Specifically, he investigates the chronology of differentiated meteorites using extinct radionuclide chronometers in order to understand the timescales of geologic processes in the early Solar System. He also uses stable isotope measurements of Boron to study aqueous processes in the crust of Mars as represented by Martian meteorites.
Curtis Williams (Ph.D. Candidate, School of Earth and Space Exploration) M.S., Indiana University (2009) – Curtis applies various geochemical tools to the study of extraterrestrial materials. Currently, his focus is on 1) determining the volatile abundance and evolution in primary igneous minerals of the Martian meteorites by secondary ion mass spectrometry and 2) using in situ Ti-isotope measurements via laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS) to locate isotopically anomalous inclusions in chondrite meteorites (known as FUN-CAI) for further geochemical studies.
