Jeff Osterhout
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4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109Curriculum Vitae:
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Planetary GeosciencesBiography
Dr. Jeff Osterhout is Postdoctoral Fellow at JPL working with the Mars 2020 mission and Mars Sample Return program. His research lies at the intersection of paleobiology, geochemistry, and planetary science, with a focus on astrobiology and the search for life on Mars. He is currently investigating the leak rates of flight-like sample tube seals for the Perseverance rover in preparation for their potential return to Earth, and is collaborating with the SHERLOC instrument team on studies of organic and inorganic samples. Using a combination of field studies, laboratory experiments, and high-resolution analytical techniques, Jeff is also engaged in the development of laboratory protocols for future biosignature detection within extraterrestrial samples.
Education
Ph.D. – UCLA, Dept. of Earth, Planetary, and Space Science, 2021
M.S. – University of Cincinnati, Department of Geology, 2016
B.S. – Oregon State University, General Sciences, 2011
Professional Experience
- JPL Postdoctoral Fellow, Mars Sample Return Program, 2022-present
- Graduate Student Researcher, UCLA Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, 2016-2021
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Cincinnati, Department of Geology, 2014-2016
Community Service
- NASA SciAct SCoPE Mission Liaison for Mars 2020, 2023-present
- UCLA Explore Your Universe (EYU) Annual Outreach Event, 2017-2020
- UC Earth Science Outreach Program, 2015-2016
Research Interests
Astrobiology, planetary geology, paleobiology, organic & stable isotope geochemistry, geomicrobiology
Selected Awards
- APS Lewis & Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology, 2019
- Sigma Xi National Grants-in-Aid of Research (GIAR) Award, 2018
- UC Department of Geology, Kenneth E. Caster Award for research in paleobiology, 2016
- Sigma Xi University of Cincinnati Chapter Award, 2016
- NASA Astrobiology Institute Early Career Collaboration Award, 2015
- GSA Graduate Student Research Grant, 2015
Selected Publications
- Osterhout, J.T., Farley, K.A., Wadhwa, M., Treffkorn, J. and Kulczycki, E. (2023). Helium leak rate measurements of flight-like Mars 2020 sample tubes. Astrobiology, 24(1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2023.0002.
- Osterhout, J.T., Schopf, J.W., Kudryavtsev, A.B., Czaja, A.D. and Williford, K.H. (2022). Deep-UV Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous Precambrian microfossils: Insights into the search for past life on Mars. Astrobiology, 22(10), 1239–1254.
- Osterhout, J.T., Schopf, J.W., Williford, K.H., McKeegan, K.D., Kudryavtsev, A.B. and Liu, M.-C. (2021). Carbon isotopes of Proterozoic filamentous microfossils: SIMS analyses of ancient cyanobacteria from two disparate shallow-marine cherts. Geomicrobiology Journal, 1–13.
- Osterhout, J.T., Czaja, A.D., Bartley, J.K. and Fralick, P.W. (2019). Preservation of carbon isotopes in kerogen from thermally altered Mesoproterozoic lacustrine microbialites. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 56(10), 1017–1026.
- Schopf, J.W., Kudryavtsev, A.B., Osterhout, J.T., Williford, K.H., Kitajima, K., Valley, J.W. and Sugitani, K. (2017). An anaerobic ∼3400 Ma shallow-water microbial consortium: Presumptive evidence of Earth’s Paleoarchean anoxic atmosphere. Precambrian Research, 299, 309–318.
- Czaja, A.D., Beukes, N.J. and Osterhout, J.T. (2016). Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria prior to the Great Oxidation Event from the 2.52 Ga Gamohaan Formation of South Africa. Geology, 44(12), 983–986.
- Retallack, G.J., Gose, B.N. and Osterhout, J.T. (2015). Periglacial paleosols and Cryogenian paleoclimate near Adelaide, South Australia. Precambrian Research, 263, 1–18.
- Retallack, G.J., Marconato, A., Osterhout, J.T., Watts, K.E. and Bindeman, I.N. (2014). Revised Wonoka isotopic anomaly in South Australia and Late Ediacaran mass extinction. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 171, 709–722.