In a new article for the ASU Interplanetary Initiative Community in a Box Project, Center Ph.D. Candidate Soumya Ray writes that, "in building off-world communities, diversity and inclusiveness are not optional".
"In writing this article, I was inspired by the question “what would you put in a ‘community-in-a-box’ to kick-start a vibrant, sustainable community in space?” Of course we will need food, oxygen, technology, humans, animals, amongst other things while populating other bodies in space. But we also need to think about the people we enable to go into space as well."
Read the full article, titled "Women astronauts? How ridiculous!", here!
Soumya's research in the Center for Meteorite Studies involves measuring the Fe isotope fractionation in achondrite meteorites, as well as analyzing their Si isotope composition, in the ultra clean Isotope Cosmochemistry and Geochronology Laboratory. Her Fe isotope work on aubrites, in particular, has provided new insight into the formation of metal nodules in these unique meteorites.
Soumya was awarded a Summer Exploration Graduate Fellowship in 2018, as well as the highly competitive and prestigious NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship.
She recently presented her research at the 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held in Houston, Texas.
