I am an igneous petrologist who leverages their understanding of basaltic rocks at the microscale to evaluate magmatic and volcanic processes operating at the macroscale across the Solar System. I completed a PhD at Miami University in which I investigated samples returned through the Apollo missions to evaluate magmatic differentiation and emplacement processes on the Moon, and am currently a postdoctoral researcher working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to evaluate how volcanism contributes to planetary volatile budgets. Throughout my career I have additionally sought to employ my knowledge of sample characteristics to support future sampling activities performed by astronaut crew during the Artemis missions that will allow us to better understand the evolution of our closest planetary neighbor.
Aleks Gawronska
(POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH)
| Email: | aleksandra.j.gawronska@nasa.gov |
| Org Code: | 698 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 698 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: | CATHOLIC UNIV OF AMERICA |
Brief Bio
Positions/Employment
Postdoctoral Researcher
Catholic University of America and NASA GSFC - MD
June 2023 - Present
Graduate Research Assistant
Miami University - OH
August 2022 - May 2023
Funded through a Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology solicitation (award number 80NSSC22K1371).
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Miami University - OH
August 2018 - August 2022
Exploration Science Intern
Lunar and Planetary Institute - TX
May 2019 - August 2019
Education
PhD, Geology, Miami University
BS, Environmental Science, concentration Earth Science, minor Sustainability, University of Notre Dame
Publications
Refereed
2023. "Mantle." Encyclopedia of Lunar Science 1-8 [10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_213-1] [Article in Book]
2023. "Moon, Overall Geology." Encyclopedia of Lunar Science 1-10 [10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_145-1] [Article in Book]
2023. "Basalt." Encyclopedia of Lunar Science 1-11 [10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_135-1] [Article in Book]
2022. "The Distribution and Accessibility of Geologic Targets near the Lunar South Pole and Candidate Artemis Landing Sites." The Planetary Science Journal 3 (12): 275 [10.3847/psj/aca590] [Journal Article/Letter]
2022. "New interpretations of lunar mare basalt flow emplacement from XCT analysis of Apollo samples." Icarus 388 115216 [10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115216] [Journal Article/Letter]
2021. "Numerical modeling of the formation of Shackleton crater at the lunar south pole." Icarus 354 113992 [10.1016/j.icarus.2020.113992] [Journal Article/Letter]
2020. "Geologic context and potential EVA targets at the lunar south pole." Advances in Space Research 66 (6): 1247-1264 [10.1016/j.asr.2020.05.035] [Journal Article/Letter]