The Arizona Space Grant was an amazing opportunity for me and laid the foundation for my research trajectory and success in my postgraduate studies. I was a Space Grant intern from 2006-2007 and I worked with my mentor, Dr. Tim Titus, at the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff, researching carbon dioxide snowstorms on Mars.

I was hired at the U.S.G.S. to continue research with my mentor for another three years until I graduated NAU with a Bachelor’s in geology. While employed there, I branched out from carbon dioxide snowstorms to the study of mineral composition in martian sand dunes. My Master’s degree built upon my research experience and focused on grain size estimates of martian sediment and abrasion rates for minerals identified in Mars dunes.

I am now finishing my doctorate at Ulster University in Northern Ireland which is focused on airflow modeling of bedform-scale wind patterns on martian dunes that directly affect dune migration and morphology. The Arizona Space Grant was key in helping me gain the experience and professional connections I needed to successfully earn a Master’s degree and study in the United Kingdom. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to be a Space Grant Intern. It has impacted my life in so many ways.