About me

Welcome! I am a planetary scientist and astronomer interested in exploring our solar system with ground- and space-based telescopes as well as with dedicated spacecraft missions. I am fascinated by planets and their moons, because we can think of them as places rather than simply as objects. Through my work, I use astronomy and remote sensing to further our understanding of the diverse environments that exist beyond Earth. 

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I am originally from San Diego, CA and grew up with a love of the ocean and the outdoors. I've wanted to be a scientist for as long as I can remember, but it took me a while to figure out exactly what kind.  I studied both Astronomy and Biology at Cornell University and earned an M.S. in Oceanography from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, before ultimately receiving my PhD in Planetary Science from Caltech. My dissertation was all about Europa, which most likely has an internal ocean containing more liquid water than all of Earth's oceans combined and which may present a habitable environment for life, making it the perfect place to combine my many interests. I am interested in everywhere in the solar system and beyond, but I am especially intrigued by "ocean worlds" like Europa. 

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Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, skiing, traveling, and cooking at home with my husband, Eric, and our two cats, Sulu and Mochi.