I study how signs of life leave their mark—molecularly, chemically, and geologically. My work focuses on identifying biosignatures, or “chemical fingerprints” of microbial life, in extreme environments on Earth that serve as analogs for Mars and other planets. I use techniques like gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to analyze ancient and modern rock samples, lipids, and minerals. From Icelandic hot springs to Martian meteorites, I’m searching for clues that help us understand where life could exist beyond Earth—and how we might recognize it when we find it.
At the intersection of geobiology, astrobiology, and organic geochemistry, my research asks big questions: What does life leave behind? And how long can those traces survive the tests of time, temperature, and terrain?