MARIA BANKS Planetary Science Institute 411 W 50Th Street, Apt
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MARIA BANKS Planetary Science Institute 411 W 50th Street, Apt. 1D, New York, NY 10019 [email protected] EDUCATION University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona Ph.D., Geosciences, Planetary Sciences Minor, GPA: 4.0, May 2009 Queens College, Flushing, New York Completed work towards BS in Geological Sciences, 2002-2005 University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona B.F.A., Music Performance, Graduated Magna cum laude, May 1995 University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia Study Abroad Program through the University of Arizona, 1994 NASA PLANETARY MISSION INVOLVEMENT 2005-present Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), High Resolution Imagining Science Experiment (HiRISE) 2009-present Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), LRO Camera (LROC) 2008-2016 MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) Mission 2015 New Horizons (Provided team assistance during closest approach to Pluto) 2008 Phoenix Mars Mission RESEARCH, WORK, AND FIELD EXPERIENCE Research Scientist, Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ (working out of New York City, NY), 05/14 –present; Visiting researcher, Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum: 05/14–present NASA Funded Research Projects: 1) Lead Investigator, Analysis of Global and Local Trends in Aeolian Bedform Mobility on Mars, NASA Mars Data Analysis Program, 4 collaborators: • Conduct change detection analysis of wind-blown landforms on Mars using HiRISE data. • Quantitatively assess trends on a global and local scale between variations in the characteristics of bedforms, their surrounding environment, bedform mobility, and rates of movement, to determine factors that are most influential on Martian wind velocities and most conducive to mobilization of bedforms under the current climatic conditions. 2) Lead Investigator, Mercury's Lobate Scarps: Constraining the Timing and Duration of Formation, NASA Planetary Mission Data Analysis Program, 1 Co- Investigator, 2 collaborators: • Conduct detailed morphometric measurements and characterization of tectonic landforms using remote sensing data from the MESSENGER and Mariner10 Missions. • Reconstruct timing and duration of tectonic activity to provide insight into the thermal evolution of Mercury through development of a modified buffered crater counting technique and through cross cutting relationships between lobate scarps and craters in differing stages of degradation. • Worked with collaborators to create and revise a database of morphologically fresh craters (rayed craters and fresh craters without rays) with inferred Kuiperian and Mansurian ages, and determined the first age constraints, based on crater counts, for Mercury's two most recent periods in its chronostratigraphic sequence (Kuiperian and Mansurian). Maria Banks, p. 2 RESEARCH, WORK, AND FIELD EXPERIENCE, Continued 3) Co-Investigator, Utilizing Morphometric Properties of Craters to Characterize the Seismological Signature of Recent Impact Events on Mars, NASA Mars Fundamental Research Program, 3 additional team members: • Quantitatively analyze the morphometry, cluster dispersion, and target properties of recent dated impacts on Mars to facilitate characterization of the seismological signature of impact events expected to be detected by future landing missions with seismometers, such as the InSight mission. 4) Contractor, LROC image and data analysis: • Complete detailed morphometric measurements and mapping of tectonic landforms using images, laser altimeter data, and digital terrain models to provide insight into the tectonic and thermal evolution of the Moon. • Investigate the displacement-length relationship of thrust faults associated with lobate scarps on the Moon. Duties, Accomplishments, Activities, and Related Skills: • Conduct original scientific research in planetary geology focused on analysis and synthesis of remote sensing data. • Process, mosaic, and analyze images and analyze digital terrain models and topographic data from laser altimeters (i.e. ISIS, ENVI, GIS (ArcMap)). • Lead and manage project tasks and coordinate communication and tasks between multiple Co-Investigators and collaborators on research teams. • Manage grants, contracts, grant funds, acquisition of supplies, and submit progress reports. • Initiate new research projects and prepare and submit proposals to gain external research support from federal agencies. • Publish original scientific research in peer-reviewed journals. • Present research findings at national and international conferences, science team meetings, and meetings of professional organizations. • Collaborate with science teams of LROC, HiRISE, and the MESSENGER spacecraft (while in orbit) in tactical and strategic planning in weekly telecons and meetings. • Identify and prioritize targets of scientific interest for HiRISE, LROC, and MESSENGER (while still in orbit). • On a volunteer basis, rotate with team members on two-week cycles of HiRISE operations (once or twice a year). Responsibilities include verifying that science objectives are achieved, leading science prioritizations, making and coordinating science decisions, and working with a targeting specialist to plan observations and coordinate with other instrument teams. • Participate in public education and outreach activities and lectures Maria Banks, p. 3 RESEARCH, PLANETARY MISSION, AND FIELD EXPERIENCE, Continued Post-doctoral fellowship, Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum, Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, Washington, DC, 08/09 – 04/14 Supervisor: Dr. Thomas Watters NASA Planetary Mission Science Team Involvement: LROC, HiRISE, and MESSENGER. Summary of Research Focus: Conducted detailed morphometric, temporal, and spatial analyses of tectonic landforms on the Moon and Mercury, predominantly lobate scarps, using remote sensing data from LRO and MESSENGER instruments, and assessed implications for the tectonic and thermal history of these bodies. Additional research included change detection studies of dunes and ripples on Mars utilizing HiRISE data to quantitatively assess trends on a global and local scale between variations in bedform mobility and rates of movement under current martian climatic conditions. Duties, Accomplishments, Activities, and Related Skills: • Conduct original scientific research in planetary geology focused on analysis and synthesis of remote sensing data. • Process, mosaic, and analyze images and analyze digital terrain models and topographic data from laser altimeters (i.e. ISIS, ENVI, GIS (ArcMap)). • Co-supervise, train, and advise research assistants and student interns • Publish original scientific research in peer-reviewed journals. • Present research findings at national and international conferences, science team meetings, and meetings of professional organizations. • Participate in Smithsonian Institution public education/outreach activities. • Invited as one of three speakers from the Smithsonian Institution to present at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado; invited lecturer for the Smithsonian Stars Lecture Series; featured expert for Smithsonian Institution Science Media Briefings; featured expert in documentaries for the Smithsonian Channel. • Initiate new research projects and prepare and submit proposals to gain external research support from federal agencies. • Collaborate with science team members of LROC, HiRISE, and the MESSENGER spacecraft in tactical and strategic planning in weekly telecons and meetings. • Prepare featured images for LROC and MESSENGER websites. • Identify and prioritize targets of scientific interest for HiRISE, LROC, and MESSENGER. • On a volunteer basis, rotate with team members on two-week cycles of HiRISE operations (once or twice a year). Responsibilities include verifying that science objectives are achieved, leading science prioritizations, making and coordinating science decisions, and working with a targeting specialist to plan observations and coordinate with other instrument teams. Maria Banks, p. 4 RESEARCH, WORK, AND FIELD EXPERIENCE, Continued Science Technician, West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide Ice Core Project, 11/09 – 2/10 Description: Member of the WAIS Divide field team: The WAIS Divide Ice Core Project acquired an ice core from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet spanning the last ~100,000 years. Duties, Accomplishments, Activities, and Related Skills: • Work and camp at remote field site on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. • Conduct initial measurements and analyses of ice and prepare cores for transport. • Assist with the Deep Ice Sheet Core (DISC) Drill. • Maintain an educational blog focusing on living conditions in Antarctica, the daily work of an Antarctic scientist, and the science of studying ice cores and ice sheets. Research Associate, Graduate Student, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 08/05 – 08/09 Advisor: Dr. Alfred McEwen NASA Planetary Mission Science Team Involvement: HiRISE and MESSENGER Dissertation Research: Quantitative analyses of glacial erosional and depositional landforms in Argyre Planitia and the southern hemisphere of Mars. Additional Research: Quantitatively assess and measure the size frequency distribution of impact craters on the surface of Mercury to develop an understanding of relative surface ages and geologic history. Duties, Accomplishments, Activities, and Related Skills: • Conduct original scientific research in planetary geology and comparative planetology focused on analysis and synthesis of remote sensing data. • Publish original scientific research in peer-reviewed journals. • Present