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Gabriel Nathan

Photo of Gabriel Nathan

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive

Pasadena, CA 91109

Curriculum Vitae:

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Website:

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Member of:

Laboratory Studies

Biography

During my PhD, I focused on Solar System formation scenarios and accretion and differentiation of terrestrial planets. I am also interested in the sources of isotopic heterogeneity in the Solar System and mechanisms of isotopic fractionation. As an NPP, I am building isotopic composition models of the Galilean moons, pursuing computational methods that are also informed by collaborators’ laboratory measurements and radio telescope observations.

I’m excited to join the science division at JPL as an NPP researcher, learn about NASA missions and collaborate with other planetary scientists. I am a newcomer to the west coast - I grew up in Texas and have been in Chicago and Michigan through undergrad and grad school.

Education

  • Ph.D., Earth & Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University (2025)
  • M.S., Earth & Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University (2020)
  • B.A., Philosophy & Allied Fields, University of Chicago (2016)

Professional Experience

  • NASA Postdoctoral Program ORAU NPP (2026-Present), Postdoctoral Researcher
  • Michigan State University (2020-2025), Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
  • Northwestern University (2018-2020), Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences

Community Service

In graduate school I enjoyed participating in community science days and Astronomy on Tap public lectures. Looking forward to getting involved here! I also have served as a session organizer for international conferences.

Research Interests

Planetary accretion and differentiation, Solar System isotopic heterogeneity, compositional evolution of the Galilean moons.

Selected Awards

  • Future Investigators in NASA Earth & Space Science & Technology FINESST (2023-2026)
  • Graduate Fellowship, Michigan Space Grant Consortium (2021, 2022)
  • Neal Research and Scholarship Award, Michigan State University (2021)
  • University Scholar, University of Chicago (2012-2016)
  • Dean’s List, University of Chicago (2012-16)
  • National Merit Scholar Award, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (2012)

Selected Publications

  1. Nathan, G., Rubie, D. C., & Jacobson, S. A. (2023). Constraining the origin of Mars with simulations of multi-stage core formation. Icarus, 401, 115596.
  2. Rubie, D. C., Dale, K. I., Nathan, G., Nakajima, M., Jennings, E. S., Golabek, G. J., ... & Morbidelli, A. (2025). Tungsten isotope evolution during Earth's formation and new constraints on the viability of accretion simulations. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 651, 119139.
  3. Dale, K. I., Rubie, D. C., Nakajima, M., Jacobson, S., Nathan, G., Golabek, G. J., ... & Morbidelli, A. (2023). An improved model of metal/silicate differentiation during Earth's accretion. Icarus, 406, 115739.