The climate and habitability of ancient Mars
Several billion years ago, the surface of Mars hosted lakes and rivers much like those on early Earth. These conditions existed at the same time that life was emerging on our own planet, raising the question of whether life might have formed on Mars as well. As a member of NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover team, I analyse sediments deposited in one of these ancient Martian lakes and work to reconstruct key environmental parameters-such as pH, temperature, and fluid chemistry. By doing so, I aim to assess how habitable these early Martian environments may have been.
Ocean worlds in the outer solar system
Many moons of Jupiter and Saturn are believed to host subsurface oceans beneath their icy shells. These hidden oceans are among the most promising environments in the search for extraterrestrial life. My research combines laboratory experiments, quantum-mechanical modelling, and machine-learning techniques to investigate the internal structure of these bodies. The goal of my work is to understand how salts-and other potential nutrients-move, interact, and evolve within the vast interiors of these icy worlds.