Dr. Katherine De Kleer

Biography

Katherine de Kleer is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on dynamic planetary processes, particularly the relationships between surface environments, atmospheres, and thermochemical histories of planets and their satellites. She uses statistical methods and telescope observations across optical and radio wavelengths to characterize these processes. Her work has particularly focused on the atmospheric composition and global circulation of gas giants such as Uranus, Neptune, and Jupiter, as well as on volcanism and subsurface properties of Jupiter's moon Io and the icy moons of Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede. De Kleer has contributed to the understanding of the external and internal processes shaping planetary surfaces, including impact cratering, space weathering, and geological activity. She received her B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2009, an M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2013, and completed her Ph.D. in 2017. Since joining Caltech in 2019, she has been recognized as a Hufstedler Family Scholar. Her educational commitment includes offering hands-on, project-based courses in astronomical observation, where students engage in practical skills and research projects utilizing telescopes at Palomar Observatory.

Research Interests