Due to the lapse in federal government funding, NASA is not updating this website. We sincerely regret this inconvenience.
NASA Logo in the header
Planetary Geology, Geophysics & Geochemistry Lab

Aleks Gawronska

(POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH)

Aleks Gawronska's Contact Card & Information.
Email: aleksandra.j.gawronska@nasa.gov
Org Code: 698
Address:
NASA/GSFC
Mail Code 698
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer: CATHOLIC UNIV OF AMERICA

Brief Bio


I am an igneous petrologist who leverages their understanding of basaltic rocks at the microscale to evaluate the impacts of volcano-magmatic processes on planetary surfaces. I am particularly interested in how these processes have comprehensively affected the evolution of the Moon, from transporting mantle materials to the surface, to emplacing secondary basaltic crusts, and generating atmospheres composed of endogenous volatile species.


I completed a PhD at Miami University in which I investigated samples returned through the Apollo missions to evaluate magmatic differentiation and lava emplacement processes on the Moon. In my current role as a postdoc I am working with the PITMS and MSolo instrument science teams to use their data to evaluate how volcanism contributed to the lunar surface volatile budget. Such volatiles may be sampled by Artemis and may offer resources for future exploration activities, so my work includes landing site analysis to support future sampling activities.

Positions/Employment


Postdoctoral Researcher

Catholic University of America and NASA GSFC - MD

June 2023 - Present


Graduate Research Assistant

Miami University - OH

August 2022 - May 2023

Funded through a Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology solicitation (award number 80NSSC22K1371). 


Graduate Teaching Assistant

Miami University - OH

August 2018 - August 2022


Exploration Science Intern

Lunar and Planetary Institute - TX

May 2019 - August 2019

Education


PhD, Geology, Miami University

BS, Environmental Science, concentration Earth Science, minor Sustainability, University of Notre Dame

Other Professional Information


Publications


Refereed

2025. "Characteristics of the Shackleton-de Gerlache ridge and implications for lunar south polar geology and future sampling activities." Icarus 441 116719 [10.1016/j.icarus.2025.116719] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "The Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PITMS): Results from a CLPS-delivered Mass Spectrometer." The Planetary Science Journal 6 (1): 14 [10.3847/psj/ad9927] [Journal Article/Letter]

2023. "Mantle." Encyclopedia of Lunar Science 1-8 [10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_213-1] [Article in Book]

2023. "Moon, Overall Geology." Encyclopedia of Lunar Science 1-10 [10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_145-1] [Article in Book]

2023. "Basalt." Encyclopedia of Lunar Science 1-11 [10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_135-1] [Article in Book]

2022. "The Distribution and Accessibility of Geologic Targets near the Lunar South Pole and Candidate Artemis Landing Sites." The Planetary Science Journal 3 (12): 275 [10.3847/psj/aca590] [Journal Article/Letter]

2022. "New interpretations of lunar mare basalt flow emplacement from XCT analysis of Apollo samples." Icarus 388 115216 [10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115216] [Journal Article/Letter]

2021. "Numerical modeling of the formation of Shackleton crater at the lunar south pole." Icarus 354 113992 [10.1016/j.icarus.2020.113992] [Journal Article/Letter]

2020. "Geologic context and potential EVA targets at the lunar south pole." Advances in Space Research 66 (6): 1247-1264 [10.1016/j.asr.2020.05.035] [Journal Article/Letter]