Patricia Craig

Professional History

In collaboration with researchers in the ARES Lab at NASA Johnson Space Center, I investigate the stability of clay minerals under a variety of conditions. This data helps us better constrain the conditions at the time of formation and subsequent alteration of these minerals, allowing us to reconstruct the geologic and aqueous history of the planet. I am also a collaborator on the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument on the Mars Science Lab Curiosity rover. CheMin is the first X-ray diffractometer to be sent to and operate on another planet and it has been sending us valuable information on the mineralogy of Gale Crater, Mars. As part of the team, I prepare command sequences for the instrument, monitor its health on a regular basis, and help in analyzing and interpreting the data it sends back to Earth. 2017 – Present Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 2015 – 2017 Postdoctoral Fellow, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX 2012 – 2015 NASA Postdoctoral Researcher, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 2008 – 2012 Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, University of Arkansas