GSFC Summer Internship Seminars

GSFC Summer Research Associate 2019 Presentations

Undergraduate Research Associates in Astrobiology: End-of Term Research Presentations The GCA sponsors a summer program (URAA) in which talented undergraduate students conduct cutting-edge research under the direction of GCA scientist-mentors. The students present summaries of their research objectives and findings during an end-of-term session delivered both locally and streamed to the astrobiology community as a whole. The Class of 2019 will present on Friday, August 9th at 1-2 PM EDT in Building 34, Room W130. The Agenda is given below. You are invited to attend, either locally or remotely. Presentations:

Acid Weathering: Analogue Analysis using Terrestrial Acid Lakes and Basalt Clay Synthesis

Elizabeth Cobb (University of Arkansas)
Mentor: Dr. Heather Graham

Polymerization of Amino Acids under plausible Early Earth Conditions

Juliana Drozd (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Mentor: Dr. Eric Parker

Detection of Organic Molecules in Mars-Relevant Material

Maxwell Craddock (Virginia Tech)
Mentor: Dr. James Lewis

Method for the Analysis of Meteoritic Amides

Jose Ramirez-Colon (University of Puerto-Rico)
Mentor: Dr. Jose Aponte

Fast Atmospheric Retrievals with PSG

Carlos Munoz Romero (Grinnell College)
Mentor: Dr. Geronimo Villanueva

Fluorescent Detection of Microbes: Higher Sensitivity Advances in Planetary Protection

Erin Frates (University of Rhode Island)
Mentor: Melissa Floyd

To join using a web browser: The slides and audio/video for this meeting will be presented using Adobe Connect. To join the meeting, connect to: https://ac.arc.nasa.gov/gsfc/ If you are having problems connecting, you can try joining https://ac.arc.nasa.gov/gsfc/?launcher=false, rebooting your computer, or try joining from another network. To view the slides, connect to https://ac.arc.nasa.gov/gsfc/

GSFC Summer Research Associate 2018 Presentations

Goddard Center for Astrobiology (GCA) - NASA Astrobiology Institute Undergraduate Research Associates in Astrobiology: End-of Term Research Presentations The GCA sponsors a summer program (URAA) in which talented undergraduate students conduct cutting-edge research under the direction of GCA scientist-mentors. The students present summaries of their research objectives and findings during an end-of-term session delivered both locally and over the internet to the NAI as a whole. The Class of 2018 will present on Thursday, August 2nd at 1-2 PM EDT in Building 34, Room W130. The Agenda is given below. You are invited to attend, either locally or remotely. Presentations:

Ocean Worlds Around M Stars: What to ExPECTRA

Gabrielle Suissa* (Columbia University)
Mentor: Dr. Avi Mandell

Looking for Life in Salty Environments with Nanopore Sequencing

Margaret Weng (Washington University - St. Louis)
Mentor: Dr. William Brinckerhoff

Designing a Python Module for the Calculation of Molecular Parameters and Production Rates in Comets

Giannina Guzman (Villanova University)
Mentor: Dr. Miguel de Val-Borro

Aliphatic Ring Compounds in the Interstellar Medium

Ella Mullikin* (Wellesley College)
Mentor: Dr. Reggie Hudson

*MATHER NOBEL SCHOLAR 2018

How to Participate in this Virtual Seminar To join using a web browser: The slides and audio/video for this meeting will be presented using Adobe Connect. To join the meeting, connect to: https://connect.arc.nasa.gov/gsfc/ If you are having problems connecting, you can try joining https://connect.arc.nasa.gov/gsfc/?launcher=false, rebooting your computer, or try joining from another network. To join using a videoconferencing system: Please RSVP to Greg Harbert (gregory.j.harbert@nasa.gov) ONLY if you will be joining by videoconference. To view the slides, connect to https://connect.arc.nasa.gov/gsfc/

GSFC Summer Research Associate 2017 Presentations

A Postcard from the Young Solar System: Infrared Signatures of Comet 252P/LINEAR

Maria Camarca (Marymount University)
Mentor: Lucas Paganini

Optimization of Monocarboxylic Acid Detection for Meteoritic Analysis using HPLC-FLD

Tucker Melles (Florida Institute of Technology)
Mentor: Jose Aponte

Rapid Degradation of Amino Acids on the Martian Surface due to Exposure to Cosmic Rays

Katarina Yocum (Kutztown University)
Mentor: Hannah McLain

Radiolysis of Uracil in Water Ice

Sarah Frail (University of Maryland)
Mentor: Perry Gerakines

GSFC Summer Research Associate 2016 Presentations

Each Undergraduate Research Associate in Astrobiology conducts intensive state-of-the-art research with an individual scientist-mentor. Please join us as the fruits of these efforts are presented by the Class of 2016 to NASA’s Astrobiology Institute in a distributed seminar presented over the Internet. Presenters: Luke Tremblay (Clemson University) – “Exploring JWST’s Capability to Constrain Habitability on Simulated Terrestrial TESS Planets“ Mentor: Avi Mandell Pia Sen (U of Texas) – “Evaluating an Alternate Method for the Analysis of Amino Acids in Meteorites“ Mentor: Jose Aponte James Lai (McMaster University) – “Detection and Mapping of Astrobiologically Relevant Organic Molecules on Titan“ Mentor: Martin Cordiner Jonathon Nosowitz (Iona College) – “A High-Resolution Spectral Atlas of Mars: Searching for Unidentified Bands of CO2, Water and Organics“ Mentor: Geronimo Villanueva Erin Redwing (Penn State) – “Formation of Cemented, Salty Cap in Presence of Perchlorates in Martian Regolith“ Mentor: Alex Pavlov Mark Sutton (Wichita State) – “The MinION DNA Sequencer as a Life Detection Instrument“ Mentor: Will Brinckerhoff

GSFC Summer Research Associate 2015 Presentations

Each Undergraduate Research Associate in Astrobiology conducts intensive state-of-the-art research with an individual scientist-mentor. Please join us as the fruits of these efforts are presented by the Class of 2015 to NASA’s Astrobiology Institute in a distributed seminar presented over the Internet. Presenters: Beatriz Saldana (Florida Institute of Technology) – “Australian Acid Playa Lake as Mars Analog“ Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Stern Maureen Palmer (St. Olaf College) – “Detection of Nitriles on Titan Using ALMA” Mentor: Dr. Martin Cordiner Patrick Tamburo (University of Maryland) – “Identifying Atmospheric Temperature Inversions in Hot Jupiters Using Wide Field Camera 3 on HST“ Mentor: Dr. Avi Mandell Tiffany Jansen (University of Washington) – “Adding Exomoons to the Haystacks Project: Realistic Simulations of Exoplanet Observations in the Presence of Exozodiacal Dust“ Mentor: Dr. Aki Roberge

GSFC Summer Research Associate 2014 Presentations

GSFC Summer Research Associate 2013 Presentations

Each Undergraduate Research Associate in Astrobiology conducts intensive state-of-the-art research with an individual scientist-mentor. Please join us as the fruits of these efforts are presented by the Class of 2013 to NASA's Astrobiology Institute in a distributed seminar presented over the internet. Presenters: Meghan McCarthy (Harvard University) Mentor: Natasha M. Johnson The Synthesis of Prebiotic Molecules on Nebular Dusts Sean Hoyt (Rowan University) Mentor: Geronimo L. Villanueva The Primordial Composition of Comet C/1999 H1 (Lee) revealed through High-Resolution Molecular Spectroscopy Jolie Carlisle (UC Berkeley) Mentor: Jose C. Aponte Method Development for Meteoritic Amine Analysis Cameron Trefny (Ohio State University) Mentor: Jennifer C. Stern Understanding the In Situ Thermal Analysis of Mars Materials Jordan Gulli (Duke University) Mentor: Alexander A. Pavlov The Effects of Mars-Like Conditions on a Halophilic Archaeon: Implications for Life on Mars Luke Hecht (University of Edinburgh) Mentor: Timothy A. Stephenson Techniques for the Detection of Nucleic Acid on Mars

GSFC Summer Research Associate 2012 Presentations

Each Undergraduate Research Associate in Astrobiology conducts intensive state-of-the-art research with an individual scientist-mentor. Please join us as the fruits of these efforts are presented by the Class of 2012 to NASA's Astrobiology Institute in a distributed seminar presented over the internet. Presenters: Brett Morris (University of Maryland) – Secondary Eclipse and Transiting Timing of Extra-Solar Plant HAT-P-7b Mentor: Avi Mandell Srishti Kashyap (Mount Holyoke College) – Can Complex Organics Exist on Mars? – A search using Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) – like experiments. Mentor: Caroline Freissnet Cecilia Sanders (Harvard University) – Searching for Biomarker Gases on Mars Using Infrared Spectroscopy and Adaptive Optics Mentor: Geronimo Villanueva Maria Stenborg (University of Maryland) – Investigating the Molecular Composition of Comet C/2009 R1 McNaught via High Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy Mentor: Mike DiSanti Lillian Haynes (Harvey Mudd College) – A Window into the Past: Characterizing the Molecular Composition of Comet C/2009 R1 (McNaught) Through Submillimeter Observations Mentor: Stefanie Milam

GSFC Summer Student 2011 Presentations

Please join us as this year's students present the results of their summer's research. The 2011 Summer Undergraduate Internship in Astrobiology is a ten-week internship in astrobiology held each year at Goddard Space Flight Center. Presenters: Wade Dauberman - Water on Mars: Measurements of H2O, HDO, and D/H using CRIRES at VLT Natasha Batalha - Analyzing Spectra of a Transiting Exoplanet Laura Beckerman - Analysis of Carbon Isotopes of Mars Analog Materials

GSFC Summer Student 2010 Presentations

Please join us as this year's students present the results of their summer's research. The 2010 Summer Undergraduate Internship in Astrobiology is a ten-week internship in astrobiology held each year at Goddard Space Flight Center. Presenters:

Luca Bell (Eckerd College) "Radiation Stability of Glycine Under Astrophysical Conditions"
Iva Gerasimenko (Randolph College) "Test for Multiple Impactors in Apollo 17 Impact Melt Rocks"
Mickey Kopstein (College of William & Mary) "Formation of Organics on Presolar Grains by Fischer-Tropsch Type Reactions"
Becca Mickol (University of Colorado) "A Sensitive Search for Biomarker Gases on Mars: Vertical Distribution of Polar Ozone Using CHSELL at IRTF"
Sean Po (Harvard University) "Tracing OH Gas Emission in Protoplanetary Disks Around Bright, Intermediate-Mass Stars (Herbig Ae/Be Stars)"
Emily Sudholt (University of Missouri) "Water in Comet Lulin: Detection of H2O and OH and a Search for HDO"