Dr. Eric Parker is an Astrochemist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. His areas of interest span the fields of analytical chemistry, astrochemistry, atmospheric chemistry, environmental chemistry, prebiotic chemistry, astrobiology, origins of life, and Earth sciences.
Eric T. Parker
(Research AST, Planetary Studies)
Org Code: 691
NASA/GSFCMail Code: 691
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer: NASA
Brief Bio
Research Interests
Dr. Eric Parker's Research Interests
Solar System: AstrochemistryApplying liquid chromatography- and mass spectrometry-based analytical techniques to analyze complex mixtures for biomolecules considered to be important for life. This includes analyzing extraterrestrial samples (e.g., meteorites and micrometeorites) and samples resulting from laboratory simulations of prebiotic environments. Molecules of interest in these studies include amino acids and peptides.
Education
Ph.D., Chemistry - Georgia Institute of Technology
M.S., Earth System Science - University of California at Irvine
B.S., Environmental Chemistry - University of California at San Diego
Positions/Employment
Research Space Scientist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD
December 2016 - Present
Graduate Student
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA
September 2012 - September 2016
Research Fellow
Marine Biological Laboratory - Greenbelt, MD
July 2012 - September 2012
Graduate Student
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA
September 2009 - July 2012
Researcher
Scripps Institution of Oceanography - La Jolla, CA
September 2008 - September 2009
Graduate Student
University of California at Irvine - Irvine, CA
July 2007 - August 2008
Awards
2017
• American Chemical Society’s Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation in Astrochemistry
2016
• First Runner-Up, Suddath Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Graduate Student, Presented by Georgia Tech Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience
2015
• Astrobiology Science Conference Grant
• Georgia Tech College of Sciences Graduate Research Award
• Georgia Tech Career, Research, and Innovation Scholarship
2014
• First Place, Research Talk Competition, Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Student Research Symposium
• NASA Astrobiology Early Career Collaboration Award
• Center for Chemical Evolution (CCE) Service Award for Education, Outreach, and Diversity
• NASA Astrobiology Program Origins Grant
2013
• NASA Astrobiology Institute Nordic Scholar
• Georgia Tech Research and Innovation Fellowship
2012
• NASA Astrobiology Institute Santander Scholar
• NASA Planetary Biology Research Fellowship
2011
• NASA Astrobiology Institute Origins Grant
2007
• UCSD Undergraduate Research Scholar
2006
• UCSD Physical Sciences William M. Hawkins, Jr. Award
• UCSD Physical Sciences Dean’s Undergraduate Award for Excellence
• California Water Environment Association Kirtland Brooks Scholarship
Publications
Refereed
Schmitt-Kopplin, P., N. Hertkorn, M. Harir, et al. F. Moritz, M. Lucio, L. Bonal, E. Quirico, Y. Takano, J. P. Dworkin, H. Naraoka, S. Tachibana, T. Nakamura, T. Noguchi, R. Okazaki, H. Yabuta, H. Yurimoto, K. Sakamoto, T. Yada, M. Nishimura, A. Nakato, A. Miyazaki, K. Yogata, M. Abe, T. Usui, M. Yoshikawa, T. Saiki, S. Tanaka, F. Terui, S. Nakazawa, T. Okada, S.-I. Watanabe, Y. Tsuda, K. Hamase, A. Furusho, M. Hashiguchi, K. Fukushima, D. Aoki, J. C. Aponte, E. T. Parker, D. P. Glavin, H. L. McLain, J. E. Elsila, H. V. Graham, J. M. Eiler, A. Ruf, F.-R. Orthous-Daunay, J. Isa, V. Vuitton, R. Thissen, N. O. Ogawa, S. Sakai, T. Yoshimura, T. Koga, H. Sugahara, N. Ohkouchi, H. Mita, Y. Furukawa, and Y. Oba. 2023. Soluble organic matter Molecular atlas of Ryugu reveals cold hydrothermalism on C-type asteroid parent body Nature Communications 14 (1): 6525 [10.1038/s41467-023-42075-y]
Yoshimura, T., Y. Takano, H. Naraoka, et al. T. Koga, D. Araoka, N. O. Ogawa, P. Schmitt-Kopplin, N. Hertkorn, Y. Oba, J. P. Dworkin, J. C. Aponte, T. Yoshikawa, S. Tanaka, N. Ohkouchi, M. Hashiguchi, H. McLain, E. T. Parker, S. Sakai, M. Yamaguchi, T. Suzuki, T. Yokoyama, H. Yurimoto, T. Nakamura, T. Noguchi, R. Okazaki, H. Yabuta, K. Sakamoto, T. Yada, M. Nishimura, A. Nakato, A. Miyazaki, K. Yogata, M. Abe, T. Okada, T. Usui, M. Yoshikawa, T. Saiki, S. Tanaka, F. Terui, S. Nakazawa, S.-I. Watanabe, Y. Tsuda, S. Tachibana, K. Hamase, A. Furusho, K. Fukushima, D. Aoki, D. P. Glavin, H. L. McLain, J. E. Elsila, H. V. Graham, J. M. Eiler, A. Ruf, F.-R. Orthous-Daunay, C. Wolters, J. Isa, V. Vuitton, R. Thissen, H. Sugahara, H. Mita, Y. Furukawa, Y. Chikaraishi, M. Morita, M. Onose, F. Kabashima, K. Fujishima, H. Sato, K. Sasaki, K. Kano, S.-I. M. Nomura, J. Aoki, T. Yamazaki, and Y. Kimura. 2023. Chemical evolution of primordial salts and organic sulfur molecules in the asteroid 162173 Ryugu Nature Communications 14 (1): 5284 [10.1038/s41467-023-40871-0]
Hashiguchi, M., D. Aoki, K. Fukushima, et al. H. Naraoka, Y. Takano, J. P. Dworkin, K. E. Dworkin, J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, J. M. Eiler, Y. Furukawa, A. Furusho, D. P. Glavin, H. V. Graham, K. Hamase, N. Hertkorn, J. Isa, T. Koga, H. L. McLain, H. Mita, Y. Oba, N. O. Ogawa, N. Ohkouchi, F.-R. Orthous-Daunay, E. T. Parker, A. Ruf, S. Sakai, P. Schmitt-Kopplin, H. Sugahara, R. Thissen, V. Vuitton, C. Wolters, T. Yoshimura, H. Yurimoto, T. Nakamura, T. Noguchi, R. Okazaki, H. Yabuta, K. Sakamoto, S. Tachibana, T. Yada, M. Nishimura, A. Nakato, A. Miyazaki, K. Yogata, M. Abe, T. Usui, M. Yoshikawa, T. Saiki, S. Tanaka, F. Terui, S. Nakazawa, S.-I. Watanabe, and Y. Tsuda. 2023. The spatial distribution of soluble organic matter and their relationship to minerals in the asteroid (162173) Ryugu Earth, Planets and Space 75 (1): 73 [10.1186/s40623-023-01792-w]
Aponte, J. C., J. P. Dworkin, D. P. Glavin, et al. J. E. Elsila, E. T. Parker, H. L. McLain, H. Naraoka, R. Okazaki, Y. Takano, S. Tachibana, G. Dong, S. S. Zeichner, J. M. Eiler, H. Yurimoto, T. Nakamura, H. Yabuta, F. Terui, T. Noguchi, K. Sakamoto, T. Yada, M. Nishimura, A. Nakato, A. Miyazaki, K. Yogata, M. Abe, T. Okada, T. Usui, M. Yoshikawa, T. Saiki, S. Tanaka, S. Nakazawa, Y. Tsuda, and S.-I. Watanabe. 2023. PAHs, hydrocarbons, and dimethylsulfides in Asteroid Ryugu samples A0106 and C0107 and the Orgueil (CI1) meteorite Earth, Planets and Space 75 (1): 28 [10.1186/s40623-022-01758-4]
Parker, E. T., H. L. McLain, D. P. Glavin, et al. J. P. Dworkin, J. E. Elsila, J. C. Aponte, H. Naraoka, Y. Takano, S. Tachibana, H. Yabuta, H. Yurimoto, K. Sakamoto, T. Yada, M. Nishimura, A. Nakato, A. Miyazaki, K. Yogata, M. Abe, T. Okada, T. Usui, M. Yoshikawa, T. Saiki, S. Tanaka, S. Nakazawa, Y. Tsuda, F. Terui, T. Noguchi, R. Okazaki, S.-I. Watanabe, and T. Nakamura. 2023. Extraterrestrial Amino Acids and Amines Identified in Asteroid Ryugu Samples Returned by the Hayabusa2 Mission Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 347 42-57 [10.1016/j.gca.2023.02.017]
Naraoka, H., Y. Takano, J. P. Dworkin, et al. Y. Oba, K. Hamase, A. Furusho, N. O. Ogawa, M. Hashiguchi, K. Fukushima, D. Aoki, P. Schmitt-Kopplin, J. C. Aponte, E. T. Parker, D. P. Glavin, H. L. McLain, J. E. Elsila, H. V. Graham, J. M. Eiler, F.-R. Orthous-Daunay, C.-E. Wolters, J. Isa, V.-E. Vuitton, R. Thissen, S. Sakai, T. Yoshimura, T. Koga, N. Ohkouchi, Y. Chikaraishi, H. Sugahara, H. Mita, Y. Furukawa, N. Hertkorn, A. Ruf, H. Yurimoto, T. Nakamura, T. Noguchi, R. Okazaki, H. Yabuta, K. Sakamoto, S. Tachibana, C. , D. S. Lauretta, M. Abe, T. Yada, M. Nishimura, K. Yogata, A. Nakato, M. Yoshitake, A. Suzuki, A. Miyazaki, S. Furuya, K. Hatakeda, H. Soejima, Y. Hitomi, K. Kumagai, T. Usui, T. Hayashi, D. Yamamoto, R. Fukai, K. Kitazato, S. Sugita, N. Namiki, M. Arakawa, H. Ikeda, M. Ishiguro, N. Hirata, K. Wada, Y. Ishihara, R. Noguchi, T. Morota, N. Sakatani, K. Matsumoto, H. Senshu, R. Honda, E. Tatsumi, Y. Yokota, C. Honda, T. Michikami, M. Matsuoka, A. Miura, H. Noda, T. Yamada, K. Yoshihara, K. Kawahara, M. Ozaki, Y.-I. Iijima, H. Yano, M. Hayakawa, T. Iwata, R. Tsukizaki, H. Sawada, S. Hosoda, K. Ogawa, C. Okamoto, N. Hirata, K. Shirai, Y. Shimaki, M. Yamada, T. Okada, Y. Yamamoto, H. Takeuchi, A. Fujii, Y. Takei, K. Yoshikawa, Y. Mimasu, G. Ono, N. Ogawa, S. Kikuchi, S. Nakazawa, F. Terui, S. Tanaka, T. Saiki, M. Yoshikawa, S.-I. Watanabe, and Y. Tsuda. 2023. Soluble organic molecules in samples of the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu Science 379 (6634): eabn9033 [10.1126/science.abn9033]
Parker, E. T., Q. H. Chan, D. P. Glavin, and J. P. Dworkin. 2022. Non‐protein amino acids identified in carbon‐rich Hayabusa particles Meteoritics & Planetary Science 57 (4): 776-793 [10.1111/maps.13794]
Simkus, D. N., J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, et al. H. L. McLain, E. T. Parker, J. P. Dworkin, and D. P. Glavin. 2021. Low total abundances and a predominance of n ‐ω‐amino acids in enstatite chondrites: Implications for thermal stability of amino acids in the inner solar system Meteoritics & Planetary Science 56 (11): 2118–2127 [10.1111/maps.13757]
Koga, T., E. T. Parker, H. L. McLain, et al. J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, J. P. Dworkin, D. P. Glavin, H. Naraoka. 2021. Extraterrestrial hydroxy amino acids in CM and CR carbonaceous chondrites Meteoritics & Planetary Science 56 (6): 1005-1023 [10.1111/maps.13661]
Aponte, J. C., J. E. Cook, J. E. Hein, et al. J. P. Dworkin, D. P. Glavin, H. L. Mclain, E. T. Parker, T. Cao, E. L. Berger, and A. S. Burton. 2020. Analysis of amino acids, hydroxy acids, and amines in CR chondrites Meteoritics & Planetary Science [10.1111/maps.13586]
Parker, E. T., M. Karki, D. P. Glavin, J. P. Dworkin, and R. Krishnamurthy. 2020. A Sensitive Quantitative Analysis of Abiotically Synthesized Short Homopeptides using Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography and Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Journal of Chromatography A 461509 [10.1016/j.chroma.2020.461509]
Glavin, D. P., H. L. McLain, J. P. Dworkin, et al. E. T. Parker, J. E. Elsila, J. C. Aponte, D. N. Simkus, C. I. Pozarycki, H. V. Graham, L. R. Nittler, and C. M. Alexander. 2020. Abundant extraterrestrial amino acids in the primitive CM carbonaceous chondrite Asuka 12236 Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55 (9): 1979–2006 [10.1111/maps.13560]
Aponte, J. C., H. L. McLain, D. N. Simkus, et al. J. E. Elsila, D. P. Glavin, E. T. Parker, J. P. Dworkin, D. H. Hill, H. C. Connolly, and D. S. Lauretta. 2020. Extraterrestrial organic compounds and cyanide in the CM2 carbonaceous chondrites Aguas Zarcas and Murchison Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55 (7): 1509-1524 [10.1111/maps.13531]
Glavin, D. P., J. E. Elsila, H. L. McLain, et al. J. C. Aponte, E. T. Parker, J. P. Dworkin, D. H. Hill, H. C. Connolly, and D. S. Lauretta. 2020. Extraterrestrial amino acids and L-enantiomeric excesses in the CM2 carbonaceous chondrites Aguas Zarcas and Murchison Meteoritics & Planetary Science 56 (1): 148–173 [10.1111/maps.13451]
Simkus, D., J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, et al. E. T. Parker, D. P. Glavin, and J. P. Dworkin. 2019. Methodologies for Analyzing Soluble Organic Compounds in Extraterrestrial Samples: Amino Acids, Amines, Monocarboxylic Acids, Aldehydes, and Ketones Life 9 (47): 30 pages [10.3390/life9020047]
Parker, E. T., H. J. Cleaves, J. L. Bada, and F. M. Fernández. 2016. Quantitation of α-hydroxy acids in complex prebiotic mixtures via liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 30 2043-2051 [10.1002/rcm.7684]
Cleaves, H. J., C. Neish, M. P. Callahan, et al. E. Parker, F. M. Fernández, and J. P. Dworkin. 2014. Amino acids generated from hydrated Titan tholins: Comparison with Miller–Urey electric discharge products Icarus 237 182-189 [10.1016/j.icarus.2014.04.042]
Parker, E. T., J. H. Cleaves, A. S. Burton, et al. D. P. Glavin, J. P. Dworkin, J. P. Zhou, J. L. Bada, and F. M. Fernández. 2014. Conducting Miller-Urey Experiments Journal of Visualized Experiments 83 1-13 [10.3791/51039]
Parker, E. T., M. Zhou, A. S. Burton, et al. D. P. Glavin, J. P. Dworkin, R. Krishnamurthy, F. M. Fernndez, and J. L. Bada. 2014. A Plausible Simultaneous Synthesis of Amino Acids and Simple Peptides on the Primordial Earth Angewandte Chemie International Edition 53 8132-81336 [10.1002/ange.201403683]
Liu, J., X. Zhang, E. T. Parker, et al. P. R. Veres, J. M. Roberts, J. A. de Gouw, P. L. Hayes, J. L. Jimenez, J. G. Murphy, R. A. Ellis, L. G. Huey, and R. J. Weber. 2012. On the gas-particle partitioning of soluble organic aerosol in two urban atmospheres with contrasting emissions: 2. Gas and particle phase formic acid Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 117 [10.1029/2012jd017912]
Zhang, X., J. Liu, E. T. Parker, et al. P. L. Hayes, J. L. Jimenez, J. A. de Gouw, J. H. Flynn, N. Grossberg, B. L. Lefer, and R. J. Weber. 2012. On the gas-particle partitioning of soluble organic aerosol in two urban atmospheres with contrasting emissions: 1. Bulk water-soluble organic carbon Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 117 [10.1029/2012jd017908]
Parker, E. T., H. J. Cleaves, M. P. Callahan, et al. J. P. Dworkin, D. P. Glavin, A. Lazcano, and J. L. Bada. 2011. Prebiotic synthesis of methionine and other sulfur-containing organic compounds on the primitive Earth: a contemporary reassessment based on an unpublished 1958 Stanley Miller experiment Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 41 201-212 [10.1007/s11084-010-9228-8]
Parker, E. T., H. J. Cleaves, J. P. Dworkin, et al. D. P. Glavin, M. P. Callahan, A. D. Aubrey, A. Lazcano, and J. L. Bada. 2011. Primordial synthesis of amines and amino acids in a 1958 Miller H2S-rich spark discharge experiment Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108 (14): 5526-5531 [10.1073/pnas.1019191108]
Parker, E. T., H. J. Cleaves, M. P. Callahan, et al. J. P. Dworkin, D. P. Glavin, A. Lazcano, and J. L. Bada. 2011. Enhanced synthesis of alkyl amino acids in Miller's 1958 H2S experiment Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 41 569-574 [10.1007/s11084-011-9253-2]
Glavin, D. P., A. Aubrey, M. P. Callahan, et al. J. P. Dworkin, J. E. Elsila, E. T. Parker, J. L. Bada, P. Jenniskens, and M. H. Shaddad. 2010. Extraterrestrial amino acids in the Almahata Sitta meteorite Meteoritics and Planetary Science 45 (10-11): 1695-1709 [10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01094.x]
Professional Societies
International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life
Member
2011 - Present