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Erin Leonard

Photo of Erin Leonard

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 183-601

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

626-318-2617

Curriculum Vitae:

Click here

Member of:

Planetary Geosciences

Biography

Erin Leonard is a planetary geologist focused on geomorphologic mapping and structural analysis of surface features on icy satellites including Europa, Enceladus, and the Uranian moons. She especially interested in how surface observations can lead to implications for the subsurface ice and ocean, or evolution of the body. Erin is the lead author on the new global geologic map of Europa for the United States Geologic Survey (USGS). She also has a particular interest in the Ice Giant systems, with an emphasis on detecting and characterizing Ocean Worlds, and actively aids in formulating and advocating for missions to these systems. Inspired by the work she has done for Europa Clipper Project Science, Erin is also interested in the interface between science and engineering, especially as it relates to operations, systems engineering, and management.

Education

  • June 2019 - Ph.D., Planetary Geology, University of California Los Angeles
  • May 2014 - B.S., Astrophysics and Planetary Science, University of California Berkeley

Professional Experience

  • 2022 – pres. Project Staff Scientist, Europa Clipper
  • 2022 – pres. Plumes Focus Group Facilitator, Europa Clipper
  • 2021 – 2023 Science Sampling Task Lead, Europa Lander Pre-Project
  • 2019 – 2022 Postdoctoral Fellow, JPL

Community Service

  • Steering committee member, including: Geologic Mapping Subcommittee (GEMS) of Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MaPSIT) (2022-pres), Network for Ocean Worlds (NOW) (2021-pres)
  • Conference session organizing and convening, including: American Geophysical Union (AGU) session organizer and convener (2020-pres), European Geoscience Union (EGU) session organizer and convener (2023), Uranus Flagship workshop organizer (2023), Geological Society of America (GSA) session organizer and convener (2020-pres)
  • Public speaking, outreach, volunteering, including: Burbank public library (2024), Los Angeles Valley Community College (2024), Speaker at “Making Space: A Workshop on Space SciArt, and Society” (2023), Science advisor for MIT 16.83 Enceladus Mission (2021), Panelist for Long Beach Comic Con – Women in Planetary Science (2019)
  • Reviewer for Publications, including: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Geophysical Research Letters, Planetary Science Journal, Icarus, and Nature
  • Reviewer for NASA Grants, including: Solar System Workings (SSW), Cassini Data Analysis Program (CDAP), Early Career Award (ECA),

Research Interests

  • Structural geology of icy satellites across the solar system – particularly Europa, Enceladus, and the Uranian moons.
  • Geologic mapping and geomorphology of rocky and icy bodies
  • Planetary exploration and mission formulation

Selected Awards

  • 2023 JPL Team Award – Europa Clipper PSG 12
  • 2021 JPL Voyager Award - Europa Clipper mission Rules of the Road development
  • 2019 NASA Group Achievement Award - Europa Global Geologic Map
  • 2018 UCLA EPSS Excellence in Academic Performance and Research Potential
  • 2018 Early Career Travel Award – Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG)
  • 2017 Paul M. Furukawa Memorial Fellowship Award
  • 2016, 2017 Excellence in Teaching Award Awarded by UCLA

Selected Publications

  • E. J. Leonard, D. A. Patthoff, and D. A. Senske (2024). The Europa Global Geologic Map. United States Geologic Survey.
  • Hansen, C.J., Ravine, M.A., Schenk, P.M., Collins, G.C., Leonard, E.J., Phillips, C.B., Caplinger, M.A., Tosi, F., Bolton, S.J. and Jónsson, B., 2024. Juno’s JunoCam Images of Europa. The Planetary Science Journal, 5(3), p.76.
  • Daubar, I.J., (incl. Leonard, E. J.) et al. 2024. Planned geological investigations of the Europa Clipper Mission. Space Science Reviews, 220(1), p.18.
  • Howell, S.M., Bierson, C.J., Kalousová, K., Leonard, E. J., Steinbrügge, G. and Wolfenbarger, N., 2024. Jupiter’s ocean worlds: Dynamic ices and the search for life. In Ices in the Solar-System (pp. 283-314). Elsevier.
  • Park, R.S., Mastrodemos, N., Jacobson, R.A., Berne, A., Vaughan, A.T., Hemingway, D.J., Leonard, E. J., Castillo‐Rogez, J.C., Cockell, C.S., Keane, J.T. and Konopliv, A.S., 2024. The global shape, gravity field, and libration of Enceladus. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 129(1), p.e2023JE008054.
  • Cockell, C.S., Simons, M., Castillo-Rogez, J., Higgins, P.M., Kaltenegger, L., Keane, J.T., Leonard, E. J., Mitchell, K.L., Park, R.S., Perl, S.M. and Vance, S.D., 2023. Sustained and comparative habitability beyond Earth. Nature Astronomy, pp.1-9.
  • Leonard, E. J., Beddingfield, C.B., Elder, C.M. and Nordheim, T.A., 2023. Unraveling the Geologic History of Miranda’s Inverness Corona. The Planetary Science Journal, 4(12), p.235.
  • Vance, S.D., et al. (incl. Leonard, E. J.) 2023. Investigating Europa’s Habitability with the Europa Clipper. Space Science Reviews, 219(8), p.81.
  • Beddingfield, C.B., Leonard, E. J., Nordheim, T.A., Cartwright, R.J. and Castillo-Rogez, J.C., 2023. Titania's Heat Fluxes Revealed by Messina Chasmata. The Planetary Science Journal, 4(11), p.211.
  • Roberts, J.H., et al. (incl. Leonard, E. J.) 2023. Exploring the interior of Europa with the Europa Clipper. Space Science Reviews, 219(6), p.46.
  • Beddingfield, C.B., Cartwright, R.J., Ferguson, S.N. and Leonard, E.J., 2023. Tethys’s Heat Fluxes Varied with Time in the Ithaca Chasma and Telemus Basin Region. The Planetary Science Journal, 4(3), p.57.
  • Schoenfeld, A.M., Hawkins, E.K., Soderlund, K.M., Vance, S.D., Leonard, E. and Yin, A., 2023. Particle entrainment and rotating convection in Enceladus’ ocean. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1), p.28.
  • Beddingfield, C.B., E. J. Leonard, Cartwright, R.J., Elder, C. and Nordheim, T.A. (2022). High Heat Flux near Miranda’s Inverness Corona Consistent with a Geologically Recent Heating Event. The Planetary Science Journal, 3(7), p.174.
  • Beddingfield, C.B., Cartwright, R.J., E. J. Leonard, Nordheim, T. and Scipioni, F. (2022). Ariel's Elastic Thicknesses and Heat Fluxes. The Planetary Science Journal, 3(5), p.106.
  • E. J. Leonard, Howell, S., Mills, A., Senske, D.A., Patthoff, D.A., Hay, H.C.F.C. and Pappalardo, R.T., 2022. Finding order in chaos: Quantitative predictors of chaos terrain morphology on Europa. Geophysical Research Letters, p.e2021GL097309.
  • E. J. Leonard, A. Yin, and R. T. Pappalardo (2021). Forming Relic Cratered Blocks: Left‐Lateral Shear on Enceladus Inferred From Ice‐Shell Deformation in the Leading Hemisphere. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 126(2), e2020JE006499.
  • E. J. Leonard, et al., 2021. UMaMI: A New Frontiers-style Mission Concept to Explore the Uranian System. The Planetary Science Journal, 2(5), p.174.
  • E. J. Leonard, C. Elder, T. Nordheim, R. Cartwright, D. A. Patthoff, C. Beddingfield, M. Tiscareno, N. Strange, and T. Balint, and 98 cosigners (2020). A New Frontiers Class Mission for the Uranian System that Focuses on Moon, Magnetosphere, and Ring Science. White Paper submitted in Response to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023–2032.
  • E. J. Leonard, Yin, A., and Pappalardo, R. T. (2020). Ridged Plains on Europa Reveal a Compressive Past. Icarus. p.113709.
  • S. Jarmak, E. J. Leonard, et al. (2020). QUEST: A Mission Concept for a New Frontiers Style Uranus Orbiter. Acta Astronautica, 170, pp.6-26.
  • E. J. Leonard, R. T. Pappalardo, and A. Yin (2018). Structural analysis of very-high-resolution Galileo images of Europa: Implications for surface evolution. Icarus, 312, pp.100-120.

Projects

Europa Clipper