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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

Mission Science Team Participation

  • 2025-present: Participating Scientist, Lucy mission to the L4 Trojan asteroids
  • 2020-present: Project Science Professional Affiliate & Reconnaissance Focus Group Facilitator, Europa Clipper mission
  • 2010-2019: Collaborator/Associate, Dawn mission to Vesta and Ceres
  • 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

  • 2024-present: Member, LEAG (Lunar Exploration Analysis Group) Science Goals Document update activity
  • 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

  • Scientific research projects about Ceres, Europa, Vesta, Uranian moons, the Moon, Mercury and Mars via geologic mapping using ArcGIS software, geomorphologic analysis of impact craters and mass wasting deposits, and analysis of structural features (e.g., fractures/faults) and laboratory experiments
  • Science and mission formulation, especially planning landing and/or sampling site reconnaissance and selection for future missions to ocean/icy worlds and small bodies such as Ceres and Europa

Selected Awards

  • 2024: Blue Ribbon Award for presentation at JPL Research Poster Day: “Leveraging Ceres to Gain Insights into Candidate Ocean Worlds Orbiting Uranus”
  • 2023: JPL Lew Allen Award for Excellence for “outstanding contributions to Dawn, Europa Clipper’s Reconnaissance Focus Group activities, and dedication to community service and inclusion”
  • 2023 :Asteroid 33927 named ‘Jenniferscully’
  • 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

  • Seltzer, C., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2025) THUNDER: A Titan orbiter mission concept for the New Frontiers program designed at the JPL Planetary Science Summer School. The Planetary Science Journal, accepted.
  • Castillo-Rogez, J. C., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2025) Informing Planetary Protection Policies for the Future Exploration of Ceres: State of Understanding after the Dawn Mission. Astrobiology, 25, 82-95.
  • Pamerleau, I. F., Sori, M. M. & Scully, J. E. C. (2024) An ancient and impure frozen ocean on Ceres implied by its ice-rich crust. Nature Astronomy, 8, 1373-1379.
  • Poston, M. J., Baker, S. R., Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2024) Experimental Examination of Brine and Water Lifetimes after Impact on Airless Worlds. The Planetary Science Journal, 5, 233.
  • O’Brien, P., Scully, J. E. C., et al. (2024) Enhancement of the Cerean Exosphere by Sublimation from Complex Craters. The Planetary Science Journal, 5, 199.
  • McKeown, L. E., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2024) A Lab-scale Investigation of the Mars Kieffer Model. The Planetary Science Journal, 5, 195.
  • Hanley, K. G., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2024) The Vulcan Mission to Io: Lessons Learned during the 2022 Planetary Science Summer School. The Planetary Science Journal, 5, 164.
  • Pappalardo, R. T., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2024) Science Overview of the Europa Clipper Mission. Space Science Reviews, 220, 40.
  • Daubar, I. J., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2024) Planned Geological Investigations of the Europa Clipper Mission. Space Science Reviews, 220, 18.
  • Vance, S. D., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2023) Investigating Europa’s Habitability with the Europa Clipper. Space Science Reviews, 219, 81.
  • Seaton, K. M., et al. (incl. Scully, J. E. C.) (2023) Astrobiology eXploration at Enceladus (AXE): A New Frontiers Mission Concept Study. The Planetary Science Journal, 4, 116.
  • 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