CURRICULUM VITAE: MATTHEW RUSSELL BALME

Departement des Sciences de la Terre
UMR 8148 CNRS-UPS (IDES)
Univ. Paris-Sud (bat. 509)
F-91405 Orsay Cedex (France)
Phone: +33 (0)1 69 15 61 4; Fax: +33 (0)1 69 15 48 63
Email: matt@geol.u-psud.fr or mattbalme@yahoo.com
Date of birth 17th May 1974, England UK, Marital status: single.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
April 2005 to present. Post Doctoral Researcher, Address as above. Research
activities are focused on studying Martian gully features using HRSC data.
Duties include HRSC image processing with VICAR software and collecting and
interpreting data on the distribution, orientation, geologic associations
and morphology of the gullies. (Contact Prof. Philippe Mason,
masson@geol.u-psud.fr).

Dec 2004 to March 2005 and continuing collaboration, Postdoctoral
Researcher, Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell Road, Tucson,
Arizona, 85719-2395, USA. I am studying Martian dune processes and
morphologies using remote sensing. Created a GIS (Geographical Information
Systems) of the north polar sand sea to include all available datasets (this
includes processing MOC and THEMIS images using ISIS) and am continuing
morphological and physical characterisation measurements of the dunes.
(Contact: Dr. Mary Bourke, mbourke@psi.edu).

May 2003 to Nov. 2003 and June 2004 to Nov 2004 (part time). Post Doctoral
Research Assistant, University of Oxford School of Geography and the
Environment, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TB.
Performed a survey of Martian sand dunes/ripples from Mars Orbiter Camera
data. Duties included collecting raw data on dune and ripple dimensions,
geomorphic interpretation of remote-sensed images, creating 3D models of
dunes using 'Surfer' software and assisting in data analysis. (Contact: Dr.
Mary Bourke, mbourke@psi.edu).

Nov. 2003 to Feb. 2004. Post Doctoral Research Associate, Mullard Space
Science Laboratory, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT. Was part of
the Stereo Camera System team for Beagle 2 Lander. Duties included
calibration of camera system, operation of flight spare camera, and image
processing during mission (although due to the mission failure this was only
performed in simulations). If the mission had been successful I would have
been responsible for processing and interpretation of multispectral imaging
data and day-to-day camera operations and have thus gained some knowledge of
reflectance spectroscopy theory and colour image reconstruction. (Contact:
Dr. Andrew Coates, ajc@mssl.ucl.ac.uk).

April 2001 to April 2003. Post Doctoral Research Associate, Arizona State
University, Dept. of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box
871404, Tempe, AZ 85287-1404. Research included simulation of Martian dust
devils using laboratory vortex experiments in the MARSWIT low-pressure
chamber at NASA Ames research centre, dust devil 'chasing' fieldwork and
analysis of Mars Orbital Camera images. Responsibilities included
supervising the work of several students and technical staff at NASA Ames
and ASU. (Contact: Prof. Ronald Greeley, greeley@asu.edu).

1997-2001. Postgraduate student, University College London, Dept. of
Geological Sciences, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT. PhD included high
temperature, high-pressure fracture mechanics experiments on basalt,
numerical modelling of fracture formation and image analysis of fracture
trends on Venus from Magellan data. (Contact Prof. Peter Sammonds,
p.sammonds@ucl.ac.uk).
1992-1997. Agrochemical research technician. Collag Ltd, Southampton (1992
Full time, 1993-1997, part time). Design and formulation of agrochemical
products, including development, analysis and quality control experiments.

CURRENT AND PENDING FUNDING
P.I., NASA Mars Data Analysis Program grant (July 2005, $220,000)
"Transverse aeolian ridges on Mars: age, orientation and sediment source".
Personal commitment 0.33 full-time.
Co-I, NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program (submitted May 2005,
pending) "Dust Devil Vortices and the Aeolian Erosion Susceptibility of Arid
Surfaces", P.I. Dr. Stephen Metzger. Personal commitment if funded 0.15
full-time.

PAST FUNDING
Co-I., NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program (2002) "Studies of
Martian Aeolian Geology, NAG5-8948", PI. Dr. Ronald Greeley. This grant has
now ended.
Apparatus funding during PhD from University College London Central Research
Fund.
Fieldwork and conference funding during PhD from University College London
Graduate School.

HIGHER EDUCATION
1997-2001. PhD in Geophysics, University College London, Dept. of Geological
Sciences, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT. Supervisors Prof. Claudio
Vita-Finzi and Prof. Peter Sammonds. Thesis title: 'Small-scale tectonism on
Venus: an experimental and image based study'.
1997 'Momber' Prize for Geological Sciences PhD students.
1993-1997. MSci Physics with Space Science (2.1). University College London,
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT. MSci
project, "Characterisation of solar cells and design and construction of
cooling/heating control system for test cells".

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1998-2001 Postgraduate Teaching Assistant University College London, Dept.
of Geological Sciences. Helped develop and teach 'Geomaths', an online maths
course aimed at geology/planetary science undergraduates. (Contact: Prof.
Phil Meredith, p.meredith@ucl.ac.uk)
1997-2001 Postgraduate Teaching Assistant, University College London, Dept.
of Physics and Astronomy. Worked as a laboratory teaching assistant for 3
years demonstrating, helping and marking experiments for 2nd year physics
and astronomy undergraduates and marked laboratory-skills and 1st year
undergraduate Maths for Physics/Astronomy homework. (Contact: Dr. Mike
Esten, mje@hep.ucl.ac.uk)
1997-2001 Postgraduate Field Assistant University College London, Dept. of
Geological Sciences. Worked as a field demonstrator for 1st year
undergraduate planetary science students in Italy and 1st year undergraduate
geology student in Devon and Cornwall, UK.

COMPUTING, FIELDWORK AND OUTREACH EXPERIENCE
Familiar with Windows 2000/XP (administrator level), Mac OS, UNIX/LINUX
Office, CorelDraw, Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator, Image, Surfer, and
ArcGIS, ISIS and LabView software. Some experience with IDL, Fortran, C,
BASIC, HTML. I am currently learning VICAR software for processing,
projecting and analysis of HRSC data and creation of DEMs. I have organised
two successful sample collection fieldtrips: one to the volcano 'Oldoinyo
Lengai', Tanzania, the other to Reykjavik, Iceland. I was an integral part
of a successful dust devil 'chasing' expedition in Nevada, USA, have worked
as field assistant for a volcanological expedition to Hawaii and a
geomorphological expedition to the Mohawk dunes, Arizona, and have worked as
a postgraduate field assistant in Arizona, Italy and England. I was recently
part of a field team assessing the value of the Pinacate volcanic region
(Mexico) for remote sensing ground truth studies. I was a member of the team
that produced the 'Mars in the Classroom' teaching aid. I have also lectured
to school and public groups on planetary science, given several television
and radio interviews, and worked as a scientific consultant to the Internet
television channel 'NOW.com'.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS
Honorary Research Fellow (2004-2007), Dept. of Earth Sciences, University
College London.
Peer Reviewer for Geophysical Research Letters and Journal of Geophysical
Research - Planets.
Convenor of session at fall meeting of American Geophysical Union (2002).
Chairperson at Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2001).
Member of the UK Planetary Forum, the American Geophysical Union and the
Planetary Society.