Core Collaborators

Brian’s main research interests are the geologic, hydrologic, and climatic histories of the planet Mars and all things related. In particular, he works on problems dealing with past fluvial erosion on Mars, Martian volcanoes, geologic mapping, habitable environments, aqueous geochemical modeling, and terrestrial analog work.

Sebastian is a geomicrobiologist and isotope geochemist who studies microbial physiology and metabolism with a focus on figuring out what controls the microbial production of geochemical signatures (isotope effects, lipid biomarker production, biomineralization). He and his group will focus on disentangling the processes, organisms and isotopic effects involved in nitrogen cycling, and help study the enrichment cultures and isolates recovered by the RPL NAI.

Julio’s research group studies the interplay between microorganisms, biogeochemical processes, and climate in contemporary settings such as extreme environments, and paleo-ecosystems across major climatic/biotic transitions in Earth history. He approaches these systems with a focus on the structures, distributions, and stable isotope composition of cell membrane lipids (biomarkers) that can be identified in water bodies, sediments, soils, and their fossilized remains preserved in the rock record. As part of the...

Dr. Som investigates the connection between geology, geochemistry, and microbiology in serpentinizing systems, through a combination of field, laboratory, and theoretical studies. He leads the RPL modeling studies subgroup. He has done RPL related field work in Yellowstone National Park, McLaughlin Reserve, Iceland, and New Zealand.