About

About Me

I am a geologist and astrobiologist whose interests lie at the intersection of sedimentary geology, mineralogy, geochemistry, spectroscopy, and the search for evidence of life beyond Earth.

My research has focused on the detection of potential biosignatures and understanding the mineralogical and geological processes that influence the preservation of biosignatures in iron-rich sedimentary systems. I am particularly interested in how terrestrial rocks can serve as analogs for interpreting the geological histories of other planetary bodies, including Mars.

I earned my master's and bachelor's degrees at the University of Kansas, where my research investigated biosignature preservation and detection in ironstone. My broader scientific interests also include the search of extraterrestrial life, the origins of life, mineral formation, and diagenetic processes.

In 2025, I received the W.A. Tarr Award for meritorious work in the earth sciences from Sigma Gamma Epsilon, The National Honor Society for the Earth Sciences. This award recognized my efforts to The Society and my Chapter during my membership and service as Alpha Chapter President, Historian, Vice President, Treasurer, and as Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee during the 47th Biennial Convention.

Rocks are more than research.