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Astrobiology is a vibrant field that focuses on the study of the origins, distribution and evolution of life in the universe.
Two of the eight interdisciplinary research teams selected by the NASA Astrobiology Program to inaugurate its Interdisciplinary Consortia for Interdisciplinary Research program are located at the University of Arizona. Led by Betül Kaçar and Dániel Apai, the teams were selected from a pool of more than 40 proposals. The breadth and depth of the research of these teams spans the spectrum of astrobiology research, from cosmic origins to planetary system formation, origins and evolution of life, and the search for life beyond Earth.
Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary field that combines astronomy, geology, biology and chemistry. At the University of Arizona, there are six academic departments that participate in the astrobiology program.
The University of Arizona offers one of the few astrobiology minor programs in the United States. Some of the questions we seek to answer include:
The Department of Planetary Sciences is one of the departments participating in the College of Science Center for Astrobiology. The center fosters interdisciplinary research and education in astrobiology by providing an organizational framework for the astrobiology community. The Center builds on the heritage of the Life and Planets Astrobiology Center, an earlier NASA Astrobiology Institute node, and combines cutting-edge research from astronomy, planetary sciences, chemistry, geo- and biological sciences.
Associate Professor
Professor Emeritus
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Regents ProfessorPrincipal Investigator, OSIRIS-REx
Regents ProfessorLouise Foucar Marshall Science Research Professor
Regents Professor
Research Scientist/Associate Staff Scientist
PTYS Graduate Student