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  2. Dave J. Des Marais
DD
Member Since 2005
Dave J. Des Marais
Space Scientist, NASA Ames Research Center
Des Marais is a space scientist at NASA Ames Research Center. He has studied microbial ecosystems and their ancient fossil records, and carbon chemistry in meteorites, lunar samples, and volcanic rocks, ancient sediments. David is on the NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover team. He has published more than 210 technical articles and chapters. David was elected fellow of six professional societies. The Geochemical Society awarded him the Alfred Treibs Medal for his achievements in Organic Geochemistry.
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Professional Experience
NASA Ames Research Center
Space Scientist
2022 - Present
Education
Indiana University Bloomington
Doctorate
1974
Dave's AGU Research
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Potential Extended Past Habitability of Mars from Recent Mineralogical Measurements in Gale crater
HABITABILITY ACROSS THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND EXOPLANETS I POSTER
planetary sciences | 15 december 2025
Carbonate Mineral Detections in Gale Crater with the CheMin Instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover
CARBONATES ON MARS: RECORDS OF THE ANCIENT HYDROSPHERE AND ATMOSPHERE POSTER
planetary sciences | 09 december 2024
Sulfate Mineral Suites at Gale Crater, Mars, by X-ray Diffraction
MARTIAN SULFATES STUDIED USING ORBITAL, GROUND, LABORATORY, AND EARTH DATA I ORAL
planetary sciences | 15 december 2023
Mineralogical Investigation of Mg‐Sulfate at the Canaima Drill Site, Gale Crater, Mars
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH: PLANETS
30 october 2023
A Decade of Mineralogical Discoveries in Gale Crater, Mars from the CheMin XRD Instrument.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SURFACE PROCESSES GENERAL CONTRIBUTIONS II ONLINE POSTER DISCUSSION
earth and planetary surface processes | 15 december 2022
Mars Science Laboratory CheMin Data From the Glen Torridon Region and the Significance of Lake‐Groundwater Interactions in Interpreting Mineralogy and Sedimentary History
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH: PLANETS
03 november 2022
In Situ Mineralogy of a Clay-Sulfate Transition in Gale Crater.
CLAY-SULFATE TRANSITIONS AS INDICATORS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ACROSS MARS I ORAL
planetary sciences | 14 december 2021
Climate Driven Diagenetic Processes in Gale Crater, Mars.
AQUAPLANETOLOGY: AQUEOUS ENVIRONMENTS AND HABITABILITY IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM I ORAL
planetary sciences | 14 december 2021
Volunteer Experience
2013 - 2014
Member
Biogeosciences Fellows Committee
Honors & Awards
Union Fellow
Received January 2008
Carl Sagan Lecture
Received December 2006