| AWARDEE | SUMMARY |
| Shae Henley | This project gives students hands-on experience in building and planning real space missions aimed at discovering water and signs of life. They’ll work on two spacecraft: one to orbit the Moon (LunaCat) to search for water vapor, and one to eventually orbit Saturn’s moon Enceladus to study its icy plumes for molecules like glycine—an important building block of life. Students will learn to design missions, build instruments, and prepare for space operations, while contributing to important scientific goals in astrobiology. |
| Elenor Cornish/Tyler Robinson | This project focuses on improving our ability to detect oceans on distant Earth-like planets by analyzing how light reflects off their surfaces—especially the “glint” caused by sunlight reflecting off water. Using simulated data from NASA’s future Habitable Worlds Observatory, the research tests and refines a tool that can detect these glint signals under different conditions. This work will help scientists know what to look for and how to design space telescopes that can identify planets likely to have liquid water—and maybe life. |
| Alba Filella | This project investigates a molecule called polyphosphate, which might have been one of Earth’s earliest sources of energy for life. Unlike ATP (the main energy molecule in our cells today), polyphosphate is simpler and could have formed naturally in environments like volcanoes or deep-sea vents. The research will test whether bacteria and algae can use polyphosphate found outside their cells as a source of energy when stressed—like when they run out of food or light. These insights can help us understand how early life might have survived and how similar life might function on other planets with harsh conditions. |
| Howard Yawit | This project studies tardigrades—tiny animals famous for surviving extreme environments—to see if they emit or respond to electromagnetic signals during stress or dormancy. Using cutting-edge tools that gently send and measure sound and electrical signals, the team will explore whether tardigrades show unique patterns when entering or exiting their "tun" state (a dried-out survival form). If successful, this could lead to new ways to monitor life in space, create bio-inspired sensors, or even improve methods for preserving tissues or creating resilient robotics. |
| Jorge Montiel Molina | This project studies tiny, ancient microorganisms called Archaea and their unique genetic elements—called BORGs—in seasonal wetlands known as vernal pools. These pools are rich in methane and go through wet and dry cycles, making them similar to environments that might exist on early Earth or other planets. The research team will collect soil samples and use advanced DNA sequencing to discover how BORGs contribute to methane cycling in these ecosystems. The project also includes a strong citizen science and outreach component to engage the public in learning about wetland microbes and astrobiology. |
| Kayla Smith | This project brings an engaging astrobiology curriculum into a juvenile detention center in Pima County, Arizona. Many incarcerated youth have limited access to STEM education, which can impact their ability to re-enter school or the job market. Over 12–16 weeks, the program will use hands-on learning, problem-solving activities, and science-based projects to help students explore topics like planets, life beyond Earth, and space missions. By learning about astrobiology and related science careers, students will build confidence and curiosity—skills that can reduce the risk of returning to the justice system and open new doors for their futures. |
| Pierre Haenecour | This project explores mysterious microscopic bubbles called carbon nanoglobules found in meteorites. These tiny spheres may contain ancient fluids that could have played a role in the chemistry that led to life. Using advanced imaging tools and new cryogenic methods, the team will be the first to look inside these globules without destroying what’s trapped inside. The results could reveal how life-related molecules formed in space and arrived on Earth—or how similar chemistry might happen elsewhere in the universe. |
| Clyde Berry | This project explores one of life’s biggest evolutionary steps—how individual cells first began to live and work together as simple groups, which eventually led to multicellular organisms like plants and animals. The team will use a green alga called Gonium pectorale, a species that exists somewhere between single cells and true multicellular life. By observing how these algae respond to environmental stress (like harsh conditions) and why they sometimes fall apart or stay together, the researchers hope to understand the early stages of multicellularity. This research can also help us imagine how life might evolve on other planets, where similar steps could have occurred under alien conditions. |
| Chris Impey | EarthScape is a live multimedia performance and interactive installation designed to bring the science of astrobiology to the public through art, music, storytelling, and technology. The experience guides audiences through the formation of the universe, the origins and evolution of life on Earth, the current climate crisis, and the search for life on exoplanets. Using projections, sound, dance, and interactive exhibits, EarthScape makes big scientific questions engaging and emotional, sparking curiosity about our planet and others. |
| Stefano Nerozzi | This project uses Earth glaciers in Wyoming to study environments similar to those once found on Mars, where melting ice may have created conditions suitable for life. By collecting and analyzing water, snow, and sediment from two remote debris-covered glaciers, the team will study their chemistry and the types of microbes living there. These icy Earth environments could help scientists understand if similar glacial systems on Mars once supported life and how well microbial life might be preserved under those conditions. |
