Spring

Dr. Christopher Hamilton has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. Dr. Hamilton's research focuses on geological surface processes to better understand the evolution of the Earth and other planetary bodies. His specialty relates to volcanology and specifically to lava flows, magma-water interactions, and explosive eruptions using a combination of field observations, remote sensing, geospatial analysis, machine learning, and geophysical modeling.

Dr. Walter Harris has been promoted to Full Professor. Dr. Harris' research is focused on the structure of thin atmospheres and their transition to and interactions with the space environment. He is particularly interested in the information that comet atmospheres provide about basic photochemical processes, the formation of the solar system, and the characteristics of the solar wind. He is also engaged in an ongoing study of the plasma interface between the solar wind and interstellar medium via remote sensing of interstellar neutral material as it passes through the solar system.

Dr. Stefano Nerozzi joined LPL in January as a Postdoctoral Research Associate working with Professor Jack Holt. He is leading a NASA-funded project to study the geological evolution of outflow channel systems in Utopia Planitia, Mars. This project integrates several remote sensing techniques to unravel the history of water in this region, and especially how it shaped the surface and interacted with volcanic and impact processes. Stefano is also interested in the study of Mars' cryosphere, analyzing gamma ray spectrometer elemental concentration data at boulder halo sites and continuing his doctoral work on ancient icy sedimentary deposits in Planum Boreum using radar sounding and visible imagery.

Stefano grew up near Bologna, Italy. He earned his B.S. in Geological Sciences in 2011 and his M.Sc. in Geology and Land Management in 2014 at the University of Bologna. During the second half of his M.Sc. program, Stefano participated in an exchange program at the University of Texas at Austin, where he also received a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences in 2019 with Professor Jack Holt. His dissertation focused on unraveling the morphological and stratigraphic signature of global climate events within the Planum Boreum of Mars.

Aside from work, Stefano enjoys a large number of hobbies and interests, including DIY electronics, amateur radio, outdoor activities, role-play games, and building ecospheres.

Congratulations to Cecilia Leung, Hamish Hay, and Nathanial Hendler, LPL's newest alumni!

Cecilia defended her dissertation, Regional Atmospheric Dynamics of Water on Mars, on January 7. Regents' Professor Alfred McEwen served as her advisor. Cecilia is currently a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow at JPL, working with Dr. Leslie Tamppari.

On March 6, Hamish defended his dissertation, A Tale of Tides: Icy Satellites, Subsurface Oceans, and Tightly-Packed Planetary Systems. Hamish's advisor was Associate Professor Isamu Matsuyama. Hamish will begin a postdoctoral appointment at JPL with Dr. Robert Pappalardo.

Nathanial Hendler made department history by being the first LPL student to defend a dissertation via remote, on May 20. His dissertation was titled Evolution of Protoplanetary Dust-Disk Sizes. Nathanial was advised by Associate Professor Ilaria Pascucci.