Nina Lanza
NOnlanzaSPAM at unm edu


EDUCATION

PhD Candidate, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (2006 - present)
Earth and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Meteoritics
Advisor: Dr. Horton Newsom

Master of Arts in Earth Science, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT (2006)
Thesis title: Geometries of martian hillside gullies in the northern hemisphere: evidence for an insolation-driven mechanism of formation.
Advisor: Dr. Martha Gilmore

Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy, Smith College, Northampton, MA (2001)


RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (2006 - present)
Research Assistant.. Calibrating Mars Science Laboratory ChemCam LIBS instrument for carbonates and sulfates under martian environmental conditions; studying potential debris flow deposits on Mars.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (2003 - 2004)
Post-Baccalaureate Student.
(1) Space and Atmospheric Sciences (ISR-1): Examined THEMIS IR and VIS images for pit chains, and related pit locations to hydrogen abundance using "water-equivalent" hydrogen map from Mars Odyssey neutron spectrometer data.
(2) Theoretical Astrophysics (T-6): Worked on r-process modeling project. Ran simulations of Type II supernova environment with different nuclear physics input.


TEACHING EXPERIENCE

St. Mark's School of Texas, Dallas, TX (May 2007, 2008).
Visiting Scholar. Taught sixth and seventh grade classes on Mars and space exploration.

Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT (2004 - 2006)
Teaching Assistant.
Spring 2006: The Planets. Ran weekly lab sections. Graded labs and tests.

Fall 2005: Introduction to Environmental Studies. Ran biweekly discussion section on environmental science topics. Graded tests and papers.

Spring 2005: Hazardous Earth: Stuff That Will Kill You. Designed lab content and format. Supervised lab meetings. Graded tests, held office hours.

Fall 2004: The Planets. Graded all lab sections. Assisted with lab meetings, held office hours.


GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program Fellowship , 2008-2011.
Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship, 2008-2010.
New Mexico Space Grant Graduate Fellowship, 2007-2009.
Young Researcher Travel Award, Workshop on Martian Phyllosilicates: Recorders of Aqueous Processes?, Paris, France, October 2008.
Student Travel Award, 3rd MSL Landing Site Workshop, Pasadena, CA, September 2008.
Student Travel Award, Workshop on Martian Gullies, Houston, TX, February 2008.

HONORS AND AWARDS

Kappa Mu Epsilon national mathematics honor society (elected 2007).
Planetary Science Summer School, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA (2007).
Member, The Explorers Club (elected 2006).
Member, Student Programs Advisory Committee, LANL, Los Alamos, NM (2004).


RESEARCH SKILLS

Operating systems: Unix (specifically Linux and Solaris), Windows, MacOS
Programming: Fortran, Perl
Software: ArcGIS, ENVI, ISIS, SAS, The Unscrambler, Minitab, Matlab
Web development: HTML, CSS
Analytical techniques: Electron Probe Microanalyzer, Scanning Electron Microscope. Currently learning Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).


LANGUAGE SKILLS

Conversant in French. One year intensive college level Italian.


INVITED TALKS

"Liquid water on Mars." Presented at The Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 30 July 2008.

"Martian hillside gullies: evidence for recent fluvial activity." Presented at The Explorers Club annual open house, New York, NY, 19 March 2006.


PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (6)

Okubo, C.H., Tornabene, L.L., and Lanza, N.L. (in review). Constraints on mechanisms for gully formation fom two-dimensional stability assessments of rock slopes in Gasa crater, Mars. Icarus.

Lanza, N.L., Wiens, R.C., Clegg, S.M., Ollila, A.M., Humphries, S.D., Newsom, H.E., Barefield, J.E., and the ChemCam Team (2010). Calibrating the ChemCam laser-induced breakdown spectrosopy instrument for carbonate minerals on Mars. Applied Optics 49 (13), C211-C217.

Lanza, N.L., Meyer, G.A., Okubo, C.H., Newsom, H.E., and Wiens, R.C. (2010). Evidence for debris flow gully formation initiated by shallow subsurface water on Mars. Icarus 205, 103-112.

Newsom, H.E., Lanza, N.L., Ollila, A.M., Wiseman, S.M., Roush, T.L., Marzo, G.A., Tornabene, L.L., Okubo, C.H., Osterloo, M.M., Hamilton, V.E., and Crumpler, L.S. (2010). Inverted channel deposits on the floor of Miyamoto crater, Mars. Icarus 205, 64-72.

Marzo, G.A., Roush, T.L., Lanza, N.L., McGuire, P.C., Newsom, H.E., Ollila, A.M., and Wiseman, S.M. (2009). Association of phyllosilicates and the inverted channel in Miyamoto crater, Mars. Geophysical Research Letters 36, L11204, doi:10.1029/2009GL038703.

Wiseman, S.M., Arvidson, R.E., Andrews-Hanna, J.C., Clark, R.N., Lanza, N.L., DesMarais, D., Marzo, G.A., Morris, R.V., Murchie, S.L., Newsom, H., Noe Dobrea, E.Z., Ollila, A.M., Poulet, F., Roush, T.L., Seelos, F.P., and Swayze, G.A. (2008). Phyllosilicate-bearing and sulfate-hematite deposits within Miyamoto Crater in southern Sinus Meridiani, Mars. Geophysical Research Letters 35, L19204, doi:10.1029/2008GL035363.


SELECTED EXTENDED ABSTRACTS

Lanza, N.L., Rampe, E.B., Okubo, C.H., Ollila, A.M., and Newsom, H.E. (2010). Examining terrestrial silica-cemented inverted channel deposits as a potential martian analog. 1st International Conference on Mars Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, 19-21 April, El Paso, TX, 6057.

Lanza, N.L., Deans, M.C., Clegg, S.M, Humphries, S.D., McInroy, R.E., Wiens, R.C., Newsom, H.E., and Ollia, A.M. (2010). Evaluating LIBS as a geochemical reconnaissance tool for the K10 lunar rover. XLI Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 2613.

Wiens, R.C., Clegg, S.M., Bender, S., Lanza, N., Barraclough, B., Perex, R., Forni, O., Maurice, S., Dyar, M.D., Newsom, H., and the ChemCam Team (2010). Progress on calibration of the ChemCam LIBS instrument for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover. XLI Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 2205.

Lanza, N.L., Okubo, C.H., Rampe, E.B., Ollila, A.M., Newsom, H.E., and Yurchyk, S. (2009). Examining cemented inverted channel deposits in Green River, Utah as an analog for inverted terrain on Mars. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, 14-18 December, P13A-1262.

Lanza, N.L., Wiens, R.C., Clegg, S.M., and the ChemCam Team (2009). Calibrating the ChemCam LIBS instrument for the martian environment. North American Symposium LIBS 2009, New Orleans, LA, 13-15 July 2009 [Talk].

Lanza, N.L., Meyer, G.A., Okubo, O., Newsom, H.E., and Wiens, R.C. (2009). Preliminary evidence for a debris flow gully slope-area relationship on Mars and implications for a source liquid. XL Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 2225 [Talk, session chair].

Vaniman, D.T., Clegg, S., Lanza, N., Newsom, H., Wiens, R.C., and the ChemCam Team (2009). Fabrication of sulfate-bearing ceramic calibration targets for the ChemCam laser spectroscopy instrument, Mars Science Lander. XL Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 2296.

Wiens, R.C., Clegg, S., Bender, S., Lanza, N., Barraclough, B., Perez, R., Maurice, S., Dyar, M.D., Newsom, H., and the ChemCam Team (2009). Initial calibration of the ChemCam LIBS instrument for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover. XL Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 1461.

Marzo, G.A., Roush, T.L., Lanza, N.L., McGuire, P.C., Newsom, H.E., Ollila, A.M., and Wiseman, S.M. (2009). Mineralogy of the inverted channel on the floor of Miyamoto crater, Mars. XL Lunar and Planetary Science Conference , Houston, TX, 1236.

Newsom, H.E., Lanza, N.L., Ollila, A.M., Wiseman, S.M., Roush, T.L., Marzo, G.A., Tornabene, L.L., Crumpler, L.S., Okubo, C.H., Osterloo, M.M., and Hamilton, V.E. (2009). Inverted channels on the floor of Miyamoto crater, Mars, viewed by the HiRISE camera. XL Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 1396.

Newsom, H.E., Ollila, A.M., Lanza, N.L., King, P., Gallegos, Z., Osinkski, G.R., Clegg, S.M., Wiens, R.C., Vaniman, D., Lee, P., Glass, B.J., Walker, E., Thackrey, S., and Parnell, J. (2009). Simulated rover field test at the Haughton-Mars Project impact crater field station. XL Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 1446.

Ollila, A.M., Lanza, N.L., Clegg, S.M., Barefield, J.E., Newsom, H., King, P.L., Crossey, L.J., Wiens, R.C., and Vaniman, D. (2008). Determination of hydration states in smectites using LIBS. Workshop on Martian Phyllosilicates: Recorders of Aqueous Processes?, Paris, France, 21-23 October 2008, 7022.

Lanza, N.L., Ollila, A.M., Clegg, S.M., Barefield, J.E., Newsom, H.E., and Wiens, R.C. (2008). Identifying carbonate rocks in a martian environment using LIBS. 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 2299.

Wiens, R.C., Clegg, S., Barefield II, J., Vaniman, D., Lanza, N., Newsom, H., Herkenhoff, K., Bridges, N., Blaney, D., Maurice, S., Gasnault, O., Blank, J., Dyar, M.D., Milliken, R., Grotzinger, J., Crisp, J., and the ChemCam and MSL teams (2008). ChemCam remote analyses and imaging on the Mars Science Laboratory 2007 "slow motion" field test. 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX,1500.

Newsom, H.E., Shearer, C.K., Lanza, N., Ollila, A., Nelson, M.J., Bullock, M.A., Moore, J.M., and Spilde, M.N. (2008). Chemical results for new experiments on minerals reacted in Mars aqueous laboratory simulations. 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 1469.
Lanza, N.L., Meyer, G., Newsom, H., Wiens, R., and Okubo, C. (2008). Testing a debris flow source area and initiation hypothesis for simple 'classic' martian gullies. Workshop on Martian Gullies: Theories and Tests, Houston, TX, 8038, .[Talk]

Gilmore, Martha S., Ollila, Ann M., Lanza, Nina L., and Vasavada, Ashwin R. (2007). Geometric and thermal context of gullied slopes in the northern hemisphere of Mars: Prediction and measurement. 7th International Conference on Mars, Pasadena, CA, 2220.

McConnell, B.S., Newsom, H.E., and Lanza, N. (2007). Recent climate change and presence of near-surface ice deposits: evidence from inverted impact craters located on lineated valley fill, Ismenius Lacus region, Mars. 7th International Conference on Mars, Pasadena, CA, 3261.

Lanza, N.L., Newsom, H., Wiens, R., and Gilmore, M.S. (2007). What part of gullies are 'special,' implications for MSL landing sites. 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 1926.

Gilmore, M.S., Lanza, N.L., and Vasavada, A.R. (2007). Comparison of irradiance received on gullied and nongullied slopes in the northern hemisphere of Mars: a three bears scenario?. 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 2263.

Wiens, R.C., Maurice, S., Clegg, S., Vaniman, D., Thompson, J., Dyar, M.D., Sklute, E., Newsom, H., Lanza, N., Sautter, V., Debussey, J., Lacour, J.-L., Salle, B., Mauchien, P., Blaney, D., Langevin, Y., Herkenhoff, K., Bridges, N., Manhes, G., and the ChemCam team (2007). Preparation of onboard calibration targets for the ChemCam instruments on the Mars Science Laboratory rover. 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 1180.

Lanza, Nina L. and Gilmore, Martha S. (2006). Depths, orientation, and slopes of martian hillside gullies in the northern hemisphere. 37th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 2412.

Elphic, R.C., Feldman, W.C., Prettyman, T.H., Tokar, R.L., Lanza, N. , Lawrence, D.J., Head ,J.W. III, Mischna, M.A., and Richardson ,M.I. (2004). Enhanced water-equivalent hydrogen on the western flanks of the Tharsis montes and Olympus Mons: remnant subsurface ice or hydrate minerals?. 35th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, 2011.

Lanza, N. and Mihaila, B. "Nuclear input uncertainties for r-process nucleosynthesis calculations." Presented at Symposium 2003 in Los Alamos, NM, LA-UR 03-5265.


ACTIVITIES

Quodlibet Early Music Ensemble, Albuquerque, NM (2006 - present).
University Chorus, UNM, Albuquerque, NM (2006)
Wesleyan University Collegium Musicum (2004 - 2006)
Coro de Camera, Los Alamos, NM (2003 - 2004)
Los Alamos Ultimate Frisbee Club (2003 - 2004).
Los Alamos Little Theater (2003 - 2004). Performed as Catherine in "Proof." Performed as heroine Melody Lane in 2004 Melodrama. Performed in the role of Georgia in premiere of "My Better Half" by Corey Steven New.
MIT Chamber Chorus (2001 - 2002). Sang role of second witch in Dido and Aeneas.
Smith College Chamber Singers (1997 - 2001). Toured Europe May 1999 and May 2001.
Smith College Glee Club (1998 - 2001).
The Vibes A Capella Group (1997 - 2001).