The Office of the Chief Technologist selected scientist Jennifer Eigenbrode as its 2009 “IRAD Innovator of the Year” for her work verifying that a new sample-preparation method would benefit the SAM instrument on MSL
2000-2004 PSGC Graduate Fellow
Jennifer Eigenbrode was a PSGC Graduate Fellowship awardee from 2000-2004. “The opportunities and experiences I had as a Space Grant fellow led me to be the NASA scientist I am today,“ Jennifer stated. “The Space Grant program gave me the opportunity to engage the public with my scientific interests in understanding the evolution of life on Earth and how we might detect it elsewhere. The program also helped me understand the public’s value in space and Earth science and technology.” Jennifer is a NASA Goddard Research Scientist in the Solar-System Exploration Division. She has been actively involved in developing and applying life detection instruments in Mars analog environments on Earth. The Office of the Chief Technologist selected Jennifer as its 2009 “IRAD Innovator of the Year” for her work verifying that a new sample-preparation method would benefit the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument. Her current research platform includes investigations of biosignatures in planetary and lunar analogs, evolution of Earth’s early biosphere, and isotopic analysis of organics in sample return materials.
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