Jeff Moersch

My formal training as a scientist began with a Bachelor’s degree in Physics (Cornell), followed by a Master’s in Geology (Arizona State University), a Master’s in Astronomy (Cornell), and a Ph.D. in Astronomy (Cornell). After grad school, I worked for two and a half years in the Exobiology Branch at NASA Ames Research Center as a Resident Research Associate of the National Research Council. In June, 2000, I moved to a research faculty position in the (then) Department of Geological Sciences at U.T. My appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at U.T. begins in August, 2003.

My research interests can be divided into two broad categories related to planetary geology and remote sensing: First, I am interested in using the clues provided by Martian geology to understand Mars’ present and past surface environment and its potential for having once harbored life. For example, I work with infrared spectroscopic and imaging observations of the Martian surface to understand its mineralogic composition, which in turn can tell us about things like the presence or absence of liquid water on the surface in the past. The second broad category of my research deals with the technical aspects of building new science instruments for use on planetary spacecraft missions and optimization of the science yield from instruments in new operational environments.