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Serina Diniega

Photo of Serina Diniega

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 183-301

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

818.393.1487

Fax:

818.393.4445

Curriculum Vitae:

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Member of:

Planetary Geosciences

Biography

Dr. Serina Diniega studies present-day active planetary surface processes that lead to landform and landscape changes, including gully and dune evolution on Mars. In addition to science research, she is heavily involved with mission development, with current responsibilities as an Investigation Scientist on the Europa Clipper Mission and as a science lead in very early development of Mars small spacecraft mission concepts. She also has extensive experience with the NASA Mars Program Office and Mars community support and science synthesis endeavors.

Serina has loved math since she was a child and has been interested in space exploration since a visit to NASA Johnson Space Center at the age of 12. As an undergraduate at Caltech, she found a way to combine both interests while delving deep into the ways landforms evolve into specific patterns, shapes, and sizes. Using simple models, analysis, and numerical simulation, she aims to understand the influence that environmental conditions and physical processes have in shaping a landscape. She received her PhD in Applied Mathematics at the University of Arizona where she explored dune and dune field pattern formation on the Earth and Mars. As a NASA postdoctoral researcher (NPP) at JPL, she studied how lava flow dynamics evolve and form surface features on lava flows on the Earth, Mars, and Venus. Her current investigations focus on martian frost- and wind-driven surface activity, and how this may relate to processes active on other worlds.

In addition to her research and mission development, she prioritizes encouraging students -- including women and those with minoritized identities -- and the general public in STEM studies. She also seeks to increase inclusivity in scientific practices and thus enable diverse contributions within the science community. She has a taught or mentored a wide variety of students (K-12 and undergraduate) in math, geology, and planetary science topics and research projects.

Education

  • PhD, Applied Mathematics (minor Planet. Sci.), University of Arizona, 2010
  • MS, Space Studies, International Space University (Strasbourg, France), 2004
  • BS, Mathematics (with honors), California Institute of Technology, 2003

Professional Experience

-Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), since 2013:

  • Europa Clipper Mission, Investigation Scientist for the imaging spectrometer (MISE) (since 2015)
  • JPL small spacecraft concept development team, Science Lead (since 2019) for in situ aeolian/meteorological investigation concepts.
  • PI for NASA ROSES MDAP to study martian araneiforms, with postdoc Lauren Mc Keown (2022-2024)
  • Physical Science Co-PI for JPL Strategic R&TD to generate a global, holistic map of present-day frost on Mars via data science techniques
  • PI for NASA ROSES TWSC to organize 2023 PlanetInsitu workshops
  • Group Supervisor for Planetary Geosciences (2020-2022)
  • Mars Program Office (2013-2020): Senior MPO science systems engineer, Critical Data Products (CDP) Program Manager.
  • Member of MEPAG Science Analysis Groups: Mars Concurrent Science (MCE-SAG, 2022); Co-lead for Ice and Climate Evolution (ICE-SAG; 2019)
  • Past PI: NASA ROSES MDAP to study martian dune-alcoves activity (2016-2019)
  • Past Co-I: UK/NERC-US/NSF research grant to study dune formation, 2 JPL-strategic initiatives for onboard spacecraft processing (Mars & Europa), NASA ROSES MFRP to study linear gully formation (2016-2021)
  • Project Scientist for Discovery 2015, Step-1 Proposal (Pandora: Phobos/Deimos orbiter)
  • “Project” Scientist for MPO Next Mars Orbiter study (NeMO) and JPL Mars Directorate Phobos small lander study (2015-2017)
  • Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Operations (2013-2014): Payload Operations Specialist Team (POST), Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) Uplink
  • Have advised >25 undergraduate and graduate interns in science research (2011-2023), including 3 on related baccalaureate honors theses; serving as external committee member for 2 graduate students

-NASA Postdoc, JPL, Planetary Geology/Geophysics (2010-2013)

Community Service

  • NASA Planetary Science Advisory Committee (PAC) (2021-2023, Chair 2023)
  • AAS DPS Committee member (2022-2024)
  • DPS Professional Climate and Culture Subcommittee (PCCS) (since 2017, Co-chair 2018-2021)
  • Scientific Manuscript Review: Computer Physics Communications, Earth Surface Processes & Landforms, Geomorphology, Icarus (top reviewer in 2015), Nature Geoscience
  • Grant Review (panelist): NASA GSRP, NASA SSW, NASA MDAP, NASA PRISM
  • Conference Convener: PlanetInsitu workshops (2022, 2023), Ninth Internat. Conf. on Mars (2019), Workshop on Amazonian and Present-day Climate on Mars (2018)
  • Science organizing committee member: most recently: DPS Meeting (2023), 7th Internat. Planetary Dune Workshop (2022), 7th Internat. Conf. on Mars Polar Sci. & Explorat. (ICMPSE) (2020)
  • JPL EarlyCareer PhD Core Committee (convened by the JPL Office of the Chief Scientist and coordinated with NASA): Member 2015, Co-Chair 2016
  • JPL Advisory Council for Women: Membership Coordinator 2012-2013, Chair 2014-2015
  • Section Editor for Springer 2014 Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms (mass-wasting)

Research Interests

  • Using analysis, laboratory experiments, & simulation, determine connections between environment, processes, & planetary geomorphology.
  • Contribute towards the development & success of planetary missions over the next four decades.
  • Promote the education/interest of the next generation in mathematics, engineering, & science.
  • Facilitate, develop, & implement program- and community-level strategies for the engagement of the planetary science community, towards inclusion and scientific progress within robotic planetary exploration.

Selected Awards

  • JPL Voyager Bonus Award for PlanetInsitu Community Building (2022)
  • JPL Voyager Bonus Award for work on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion on Europa Clipper Mission (2021)
  • JPL Team Award for Europa Clipper Investigation Scientists (2017)
  • JPL Voyager Bonus Award for work on Mars missions’ Senior Review preparation (2016)
  • JPL Mariner Bonus Award for work as the Next Orbiter SAG Executive Officer (2016)
  • NASA Honors Group Achievement Award for assistance in Comet Siding Springs efforts (2015)
  • JPL Voyager Bonus Award and JPL Team Bonus Award for work on MEPAG 2015 Goals Document Revision (2015)
  • JPL Team Award for 2015 MEPAG Goals document and MEPAG meeting (2015)
  • JPL Mariner Bonus Awards for work on MRO Extended Mission Proposal, organizing work towards the 8th International Conference on Mars, work on Comet Siding Springs (Critical Data Products VIII)  (2014)

Selected Publications

  • Diniega, S., et al. (2022), It's time for focused in situ studies of planetary surface-atmosphere interactions. In 2022 IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) Proceedings, 1-19, doi:10.1109/AERO53065.2022.9843357.
  • Diniega, S., et al. (2021), Modern Mars’ geomorphological activity, driven by wind, frost, and gravity (invited review), Geomorphology, 380, 107627, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107627.
  • Diniega, S., I.B. Smith (2020), High-priority Science Questions identified at the Mars Workshop on Amazonian and Present-Day Climate, Planet. & Space Sci. (special issue: Amazonian Climate), 182, 104813, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2019.104813.
  • Diniega, S., et al., 2017, Our evolving understanding of aeolian bedforms, based on studies of different worlds, Aeolian Research, 26, 5-27, doi:10.1016/j.aeolia.2016.10.001.
  • Diniega, S., et al., 2013. A new dry hypothesis for the formation of Martian linear gullies. Icarus, 225(1), 526-537, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2013.04.006.

Projects

Europa Clipper