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Jennifer Scully

Photo of Jennifer Scully

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 183-301

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

818.393.8025

Curriculum Vitae:

Click here

Member of:

Small Bodies

Biography

I am a planetary geologist, focusing on geomorphic analysis and geologic mapping of Ceres, Vesta, and Europa, and other airless bodies. I work on science and mission formulation, especially planning landing and/or sampling site reconnaissance and selection for future missions to ocean/icy worlds and small bodies. I am the Lead Science Mentor at NASA’s Planetary Science Summer School, held at JPL.

For more information please see my:

Education

  • 2015: Ph.D. in Geology from the Dept. of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, UCLA
  • 2010: B. A. in Science (Geology) from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

Professional Experience

  • 2017-present: Scientist (Level III) in Small Bodies Group, JPL
  • 2015-2017: Caltech Postdoctoral Scholar at JPL
  • 2010-2015: Graduate Student Researcher & Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Earth, Planetary & Space Sciences, UCLA

Community Service

  • 2022-present: Steering Committee Member, Geologic Mapping Subcommittee (GEMS) of the Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT), member with expertise in planetary geologic mapping of small bodies and ocean worlds
  • 2021-present: Steering Committee member, NOW (Network for Ocean Worlds)
  • 2021-present: Discipline Program Manager for planetary science research proposals, JPL
  • 2020-present: Lead Science Mentor, NASA’s Planetary Science Summer School, JPL
  • 2019-2022: Steering Committee Member, Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) Steering Committee
  • 2019-2020: Co-Investigator of the Ceres Planetary Mission Concept Study: ‘Assessing Dwarf Planet Ceres Past and Present Habitability Potential’
  • 2018-present: Internal reviewer of JPL proposals to be submitted to NASA ROSES, NASA mission opportunities and internal funding opportunities
  • 2016-present: Organizer and chair of GSA, AGU, LPSC and AOGS sessions
  • 2016-present: Panelist, NASA Review Panels
  • 2015-present: Peer reviewer for journals: ‘Science’, ‘Nature Communications’, ‘EPSL’, ‘JGR – Planets’ and ‘Icarus’

Research Interests

  • Geomorphologic analysis of impact craters and mass wasting deposits, analysis of structural features (e.g., fractures/faults and laboratory experiments
  • I work on icy/ocean worlds and small bodies: Ceres, Vesta, Europa, Mercury, Mars, the Moon, and an assortment of comets and asteroids

Selected Awards

  • 2022: JPL Voyager Award for “exceptional devotion to R&A proposal support as a Discipline Program Manager, and initial development of a new proposal tracking system”
  • 2022: Europa Lander Individual Award for “leadership on Europa landing site reconnaissance”
  • 2021: NASA Group Achievement Award as a part of the Planetary Science Summer School team
  • 2020: NASA Honor Award Early Career Public Achievement Medal for “early career achievement in scientific research significantly advancing the understanding of the geological history and volatile content of Ceres and Vesta”
  • 2019: JPL Voyager Award for lead guest editor role, Icarus Special Issue (volume 320)
  • 2017: Selected as an Early Career Fellow in the NASA ROSES program

Selected Publications

  • McKeown, L. E., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2023) Martian Araneiforms: A Review. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 128(4), doi: 10.1029/2022JE007684.
  • Williams, D. A., Nathues, A. & Scully, J. E. C. (2022) Geomorphology of Ceres. In: Insights from the Dawn Mission for the Origin of the Solar System. Cambridge University Press.
  • Nordheim, T. A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2022) The Radiation Environment of Ceres and Implications for Surface Sampling. Astrobiology, 22, 5, 1-11.
  • Hughson, K. H. G., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2022) Comparative morphometric analysis suggests ice-cored pingo-shaped landforms on the dwarf planet Ceres. Geology, 50(4), 522-527.
  • Castillo-Rogez, J., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2022) Science Drivers for the Future Exploration of Ceres: From Solar System Evolution to Ocean World Science. The Planetary Science Journal, 3, 64.
  • Castillo-Rogez, J., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2022) Concepts for the Future Exploration of Dwarf Planet Ceres’ Habitability. The Planetary Science Journal, 3, 41.
  • Hand, K. P., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2022) Science Goals and Mission Architecture of the Europa Lander Mission Concept. The Planetary Science Journal, 3, 22.
  • Landis, M. E., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2022) The case for a Themis asteroid family spacecraft mission. Planetary and Space Science, 212, 105413.
  • Spiers, E. M., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2021) Tiger: Concept Study for a New Frontiers Enceladus Habitability Mission. The Planetary Science Journal, 2, 195.
  • Titus, T. N., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2021) A roadmap for planetary caves science and exploration. Nature Astronomy, 5, 524-525.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2021) The In-Situ Exploration of a Relict Ocean World: An Assessment of Potential Landing and Sampling Sites for a Future Mission to the Surface of Ceres. Planetary Science Journal, 2(3), 94.
  • Schenk, P., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2021) Compositional control on impact crater formation on mid-sized planetary bodies: Dawn at Ceres and Vesta, Cassini at Saturn. Icarus, 359, 114343.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2020) The varied sources of faculae-forming brines in Ceres’ Occator crater emplaced via hydrothermal brine effusion. Nature Communications, 11, 3680.
  • Raymond, C. A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2020) Impact-driven mobilization of deep crustal brines on dwarf planet Ceres. Nature Astronomy, 4, 741-747.
  • Park, R. S., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2020) Evidence of non-uniform crust of Ceres from Dawn’s high-resolution gravity data. Nature Astronomy, 4, 748-755.
  • Schmidt, B. E., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2020) Post-impact cryo-hydrologic formation of small mounds and hills in Ceres’s Occator crater. Nature Geoscience, doi: 10.1038/s41561-020-0581-6.
  • Schenk, P., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2020) Impact heat driven volatile redistribution at Occator crater on Ceres as a comparative planetary process. Nature Communications, 11, 3679.
  • Castillo-Rogez, J. C., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2020) Ceres: Astrobiological Target and Possible Ocean World. Astrobiology, 20(2), doi: 10.1089/ast.2018.1999.
  • Duarte, K. D., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) Landslides on Ceres: Diversity and Geologic Context. JGR: Planets, 124, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JE005673.
  • Sizemore et al., (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) A global inventory of ice-related Cerean features: implications for the evolution and state of the cryosphere. JGR: Planets, 124(7), 1650-1689.
  • Chilton, H. T., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) Landslides on Ceres: Inferences into ice content and layering in the upper crust. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 124(6), 1512-1524.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2019) Synthesis of the Special Issue: The formation and evolution of Ceres’ Occator crater. Icarus, 320, 213-225.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2019) Ceres’ Occator crater and its faculae explored through geologic mapping. Icarus, 320, 7-23.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2019) Introduction to the Special Issue: The formation and evolution of Ceres’ Occator crater. Icarus, 320, 1-6.
  • Schenk, P., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) The central pit and dome at Cerealia Facula and floor deposits in Occator crater, Ceres: morphology and formation. Icarus, 320, 159-187.
  • Quick, L. C., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) A possible brine reservoir beneath Occator: thermal/compositional evolution & formation of Cerealia Dome & Vinalia Faculae. Icarus, 320, 119-135
  • Buczkowski, D. L., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) Tectonic analysis of fracturing associated with Occator crater. Icarus, 320, 49-59.
  • Ruesch, O., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) Bright carbonate surfaces on Ceres as remnants of salt-rich water fountains. Icarus, 320, 39-48.
  • Nathues, A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) Occator crater in color at highest resolution. Icarus, 320, 24-38.
  • Stephan, K., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) Ceres’ impact craters – relationships between surface composition and geology. Icarus, 318, 56-74.
  • Combe, J.-P., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2019) The surface composition of Ceres’ Ezinu quadrangle analyzed by the Dawn mission. Icarus, 318, 124-146.
  • Williams, D. A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) Introduction: The geological mapping of Ceres. Icarus, 316, 1-13.
  • Ruesch, O., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) Geology of Ceres’ north pole quadrangle with Dawn FC imaging data. Icarus, 316, 14-27.
  • Pasckert, J. H., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) Geologic mapping of the Ac-2 Coniraya quadrangle of Ceres from Dawn: Implications for a heterogeneously composed crust. Icarus, 316, 28-45.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2018) Ceres’ Ezinu quadrangle: a heavily cratered region with evidence for localized subsurface water ice and the context of Occator crater. Icarus, 316, 46-62.
  • Hughson, K. G. H., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) The Ac-5 (Fejokoo) quadrangle of Ceres: Geologic map and geomorphological evidence for ground ice mediated surface processes. Icarus, 316, 63-83
  • Krohn, K., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) The unique geomorphology and structural geology of the Haulani crater of dwarf planet Ceres as revealed by geological mapping of equatorial quadrangle Ac-6 Haulani. Icarus, 316, 84-98.
  • Williams, D. A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) The Geology of the Kerwan quadrangle of dwarf planet Ceres: Investigating Ceres’ oldest impact basin. Icarus, 316, 99-113.
  • Frigeri, A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) The geology of the Nawish quadrangle of Ceres: the rim of an ancient basin. Icarus, 316, 114-127.
  • Buczkowski, D. L., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) Geology of Ceres’ Occator quadrangle: Floor fractured craters and other geomorphic evidence of cryomagmatism. Icarus, 316, 128-139.
  • Schulzeck, F., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2018) Geologic mapping of the Ac-11 Sintana quadrangle: Assessing diverse crater morphologies. Icarus, 316, 154-166.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2017) Evidence for the interior evolution of Ceres from geologic analysis of fractures. Geophysical Research Letters, 44, 9564–9572.
  • Schmidt, B. E., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2017) Geomorphological evidence for ground ice from mass wasting on dwarf planet Ceres. Nature Geoscience, 10, 338-343.
  • Buczkowski, D. L., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2016) The geomorphology of Ceres. Science, 353 (6303), aaf4332-1-8.
  • Marchi, S., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2016) The missing large impact craters on Ceres. Nature Communications, 7, 12257.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2015) Geomorphological evidence for transient water flow on Vesta. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 411, 151-163.
  • Zambon, F., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2015) Spectral analysis of the quadrangles Av-13 and Av-14 on Vesta. Icarus, 259, 181-193.
  • Longobardo, A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2015) Mineralogical and spectral analysis of Vesta’s Gegania and Lucaria quadrangles and comparative analysis of their key features. Icarus, 259, 72-90.
  • McCord, T. B. & Scully, J. E. C. (2015) The composition of Vesta from the Dawn mission. Icarus, 259, 1-9.
  • Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2014) Geomorphology and structural geology of Saturnalia Fossae and adjacent structures in the northern hemisphere of Vesta. Icarus, 244, 23-40.
  • Williams, D. A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2014) The geology of the Marcia of asteroid Vesta: Assessing the effects of large, young craters. Icarus, 244, 74-88.
  • Blewett, D. T., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2014) Vesta’s North Pole Quadrangle Av-1 (Albana): Geologic Map and the Nature of the South Polar Basin Antipodes. Icarus, 244, 13-22.
  • Krohn, K., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2014) Mass movement on Vesta at steep scarps and crater rims. Icarus, 244, 120-132.
  • Schäfer, M., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2014) Imprint of the Rheasilvia impact on Vesta – Geologic mapping of quadrangles Gegania and Lucaria. Icarus, 244, 60-73.
  • Buczkowski, D. L., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2014) The unique geomorphology and physical properties of the Vestalia Terra plateau. Icarus, 244, 89-103.
  • Ruesch, O., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2014) Geologic map of the northern hemisphere of Vesta based on Dawn Framing Camera (FC) images. Icarus, 244, 41-59.
  • Williams, D. A., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2014) Lobate and flow-like features on asteroid Vesta. Planetary and Space Science, 103, 24-35.
  • Alibay, F., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2014) Design of a low cost mission to the Neptunian system. IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings.
  • Reddy, V., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2013) Comparing Dawn, Hubble Space Telescope, and ground based interpretations of (4) Vesta. Icarus, 226, 1103.
  • Denevi, B. W., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2012) Pitted Terrain on Vesta and implications for the presence of volatiles. Science, 338, 246.
  • Buczkowski, D. L., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2012) Large-scale troughs on Vesta: A signature of planetary tectonics. Geophysical Research Letters, 39, L18205.
  • Reddy, V., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2012) Delivery of dark material to Vesta: Carbonaceous chondritic impacts. Icarus, 221, 544.
  • Russell, C. T., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2012) Dawn at Vesta: Testing the protoplanetary paradigm. Science, 336, 684.

Projects

Dawn
Europa Clipper