Besides science, I have a lot of hobbies including powerlifting, hiking, camping, bouldering, and running.
I take my Nikon camera everywhere and pictured to the right is a photo I took of the Three Sisters near Bend, Oregon.
Embedded Files
My science passion is Analytical Astrobiology: using chemical instruments to investigate the question of if we are alone in the universe and how to detect it.
My science passion is Analytical Astrobiology: using chemical instruments to investigate the question of if we are alone in the universe and how to detect it.
I got my B.S. in Biochemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2019. There, I worked in many labs that cultivated my love for Chemistry:
1) I started in an Organic Chemistry lab under Dr. Pamela Pollet and Dr. Charles Liotta where I investigated the synthesis of a pre-biotic chemical, glyoxylate.
2) Later, I realized my interest in Analytical Chemistry and joined Dr. Amanda Stockton's lab working on Astrobiology research through her NASA funded FELDSPAR project working to help suggest best practices for the Mars Rover to sample the Martian surface in its search for signs of life. I also worked with her grad student, Dr. Marshall K. Seaton, on his NASA FINESST project in method development for biosignature detection for amino acids using a Capillary Electrophoresis instrument.
3) My last year of undergrad, I started working for Dr. Britney Schmidt on her NASA funded VERNE and OAST projects. VERNE was a concept mission to reach the subsurface water on Europa and I was a part of the science team for the instrument suite. For OAST, I assisted in developing a miniaturized Electrodialysis instrument for space flight with Dr. Frances Bryson and helped current graduate student, Taylor Plattner, and past graduate student, Dr. Justin Lawrence, bring Ion Selective Electrodes online and prepare for their use during field work.
4) I also interned with Dr. Christopher Carr while he was running his Molecular Biology and Astrobiology group at MIT the summer of 2019. I helped develop a DNA extraction protocol for extremely low biomass samples from the Atacama Desert for Mars' analog research.
------
I am currently working on my Ph.D. in the Department of Geology at the University of Maryland, College Park with Dr. Vedran Lekić (UMD) & Dr. Jill Mikucki (UTK).
Come back later for project updates!
Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Click on the link to the right to be directed to my Google Scholar page.
ORCID
ORCID
Click the link to the right to be directed to my ORCID page.
Experience
Experience
Sept 2022 - Present
National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellow
Aug 2021 - Present
University of Maryland, Advisor: Dr. Vedran Lekić, Co-Advisor: Dr. Jill Mikucki, University of Tennessee
Research Assistant & Ph.D. Student
Aug 2019 - July 2021
Georgia Institute of Technology, Advisor: Dr. Britney Schmidt
Undergraduate Student Member of VERNE Mission Concept: Aug 2019 - Dec 2019
Volunteer Member of VERNE: Jan 2020 - Feb 2021
Research Assistant: March 2021 - July 2021
Jan 2019 - March 2021
Georgia Institute of Technology, Advisor: Dr. Amanda Stockton
Research Assistant
May 2019 - Aug 2019
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Advisor: Dr. Chris Carr
Research Assistant
May 2017 - Dec 2018
Georgia Institute of Technology, Advisor: Dr. Charles Liotta & Dr. Pamela Pollet
Research Assistant
Education
Education
Aug 2021 - Present
Ph.D. Student
University of Maryland, Department of Geology
June 2015 - Dec 2019
B.S. Biochemistry, Minor Biology
Georgia Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Get in touch at [ahanna13@umd.edu]
Page updated
Report abuse