OriginsHabitabilityLab

Thank you for all of the emails we have received for those interested in working with the OHL! Protip: when contacting PI’s for research opportunities, be sure to look into our research /website, and be sure to mention how your research interests align with our active projects🙂!

[Meet the OHL Team #22] Chris Mendoza is a 4th year #CivilEngineering undergrad at @CalStateLA. His main interests are Structural and #EnvironmentalEngineering! In the OHL, Chris focuses on iron-driven geobiochemistry. In his off time, he likes to tinker with cars and go hiking.

(3) Antonio is a #soccer and #basketball enthusiast. He also loves #scubadiving, #hiking, #trekking, and going to the beach or mountains. He has a deep connection with nature, but his absolute passion is to try new foods all over the world and learn all about different cultures!

(2) Antonio completed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry at @UniversidadCom1 de Madrid. He carried out his last year doing organometallic chemistry as an Erasmus+ student at @uniwroc (Wroclaw, Poland). Antonio is studying reactions of CN polymers under Mars conditions.

[Meet the OHL team #21] Antonio Lopez Garcia is currently completing his PhD thesis in #PrebioticChemistry at Centro de Astrobiología (CAB, CSIC-INTA), in #Madrid (Spain)! He is working with the OHL on #Enceladus prebiotic chemistry and phosphorus chemistry.

Check out the latest OHL Media feature with Spectrum News 1, with Cathy Trejo!! spectrumnews1.com/ca/southern-ca…

(3) When he's not working, Osama enjoys road tripping far and wide, camping, motorcycle riding, skydiving, or flying airplanes and in general would much prefer to be outside than inside even on a rainy day. He's also taken up mountaineering!

(2) - Osama has two bachelors, in biology and in art history, from @waynestate University and his PhD from @michiganstateu University. Osama has done a large array of research ranging from cancer biology, cardiovascular physiology to engineering, and animal ecology!

[Meet the OHL team #20] Postdoc Osama Alian is an astrobiologist and oceanographer interested in understanding how to detect the fingerprints of life, its origin and where to look for it! He earned his PhD studying microbes in ocean hydrothermal vent systems

CONGRATULATIONS NANCY!!!

LA Times article on the OHL! latimes.com/environment/st…

We're excited to share that yesterday our latest work is out in Nature Communications — "Molecular control via dynamic bonding enables material responsiveness in additively manufactured metallo-polyelectrolytes". doi.org/10.1038/s41467… (1/X)

(3) Nancy LOVES spending time with her husband Jason and daughter Zoe. Additionally, Nancy likes to go hiking, cooking, #kickboxing, going to conventions/festivals, and having fun with family! Give Nancy a follow @RocksNChemistry!!!

(2) In the @OHLlab, Nancy (@RocksNChemistry) is investigating the reaction pathway that could potentially form abiotic aromatic acids such as tryptophan, which could have implications for prebiotic chemistry in the plumes of #Enceladus.

A returning member post! Nancy Carman is an incoming PhD student in the #Geosciences department at @UWM focusing on variability in mineralogy and microbial communities in hydrothermal systems on land. She has 2 B.S and 2 M.S (Geosciences-Structural Geology & Planetary Geology).

Some members/alums of the @OHLlab at the 10th International Conference on #Mars at @Caltech

John’s hobbies include running with his dog Sophie, admiring the creative art that his wife Rachelle creates, and watching Sci-Fi movies in his free time.

In the OHL, John analyzes pellet samples of real hydrothermal vents and compares their composition to vents created in vitro through Raman Spectroscopy. He will also be a corresponding author for a review paper on the origins of the electron transport chain.

[Meet the OHL team #19] - John Aguilera earned his bachelor's degree in #Biochemistry from @CalPolyPomona, and he recently received his teaching credential for #Biology and #Chemistry from @UCRiverside. He will soon begin teaching #APChemistry in the 2024-2025 school year.

(2) Jordan is interning at the OHL to study iron and nitrogen dynamics in ancient #Mars conditions and possible connections to prebiotic chemistry. She enjoys hiking, dancing, and finding the darkest skies for stargazing.

[Meet the OHL team #17] Jordan Chastain is studying #Geobiology as a Ph.D. student at @Caltech! She earned her B.S. in Chemical Biology at @UCBerkeley, where she studied microbial metabolism.

(3) In her free time, Sophia participates in theater, trains in voice, works in environmental justice, and Chairs Montessori Model UN conferences!

(2) Sophia is researching quinone solubility in organic solvents and its applications in prebiotic chemistry. She is also first-authoring a review paper on the origins of the electron transport chain! Outside of OHL, she studies crude oil photo-oxidation in marine spills.

[Meet the OHL team #18] Sophia Riazi-Sekowski attends @ColbyCollege and plans to graduate in the Spring of 2025. Her majors are #Chemistry (Environmental Science) and #Anthropology. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in #biogeochemistry or a related field.