Dr. Chris Herd

Biography

Chris Herd is a professor in the Faculty of Science at the University of Alberta, specializing in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences with a focus on geology and meteorites. He is an internationally recognized expert in Mars geology, particularly Martian meteorites, and has played a significant role in the NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover mission as a participating scientist. His research, funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Space Agency, involves comprehensive studies of meteorite types to gain insights into the conditions of formation and methods for curation and handling of pristine planetary materials. He has led efforts to acquire unique specimens from the Tagish Lake meteorite and established the University’s Meteorite Curation Lab, which houses the largest university-based collection in Canada. Noteworthy contributions include demonstrating the relationship between the aqueous alteration of meteorite parent bodies and variations in organic matter, significantly impacting current research in the field. He has authored and co-authored numerous influential papers detailing his findings on Martian meteorites and continues to expand the Meteorite Collection at the University of Alberta, which represents countless research opportunities for students.

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