Project ESPRESSO Accessible Exploration Initiative

Co-I Molaro will assist the Project ESPRESSO Public Engagement Lead (Co-I McKinnon) with coordination of public engagement efforts, including developing strategies and themes for public events, communication of goals and opportunities for public interaction with the Project ESPRESSO team, and public engagement field operations. Co-I Molaro will conduct these efforts in parallel with their planned Project ESPRESSO research and analysis efforts. Co-I Molaro will perform modeling work to study the role of thermomechanical processes in the regolith production and surface evolution of airless bodies. The work will focus on modeling thermal stresses induced in laboratory samples used as part of the experimental efforts of other Project ESPRESSO Co-I’s. Molaro will also provide expertise to the Project ESPRESSO team on surface processes, physical weathering, rock fracture, thermally induced stresses in rocky and icy materials, and other related areas.