Draft:Katie Stack Morgan

Kathryn (Katie) Stack Morgan is a well-known expert in the field of planetary science, with a reputation for innovative research and notable involvement in the exploration of planets such as Mars as well as other planets. Katie Stack Morgan's very diverse career, which includes education, research centers, and collaborative efforts with space agencies such as NASA, has left an everlasting impact on our knowledge of the Red Planet's history, its future possibilities for life, and its greater significance for planetary exploration as well as astrobiology.

Education
Her academic career started at Cheshire High School, a Connecticut high school that was located in her hometown. Her academic journey continued after high school when she attended the highly respected California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to get a Masters and a Ph.D. in geology. She also earned a bachelor's degree in Geoscience and Astronomy from Williams College in Williamstown, Georgia (2008). These degrees served as the basis for her later contributions to planetary science. Stack Morgan has devoted her professional life to grasping the mechanisms that have sculpted the surface of Mars landscape across geological time periods, with a concentration on the geology and geography of the red planet. Her study sheds light on the complex geological history of Mars and offers priceless insights into its past conditions and potential for supporting life. These discoveries range from the creation of ancient river valleys to the buildup of sedimentary layers.

Experience
Kathryn Stack Morgan's experience extends far beyond the limits of specific missions to include greater contact with the scientific community and the general population as a whole. Her work with groups like The Planetary Society demonstrates her dedication to advancing space exploration and scientific education. Stack Morgan is a passionate advocate for the planetary science community and the revolutionary effects of exploration, which she promotes through public talks, educational and outreach projects, and appearances in the media. She sparks curiosity, promotes scientific inquiry, and develops the next generation of people interested in space by sharing her expertise and excitement with audiences all over the world. Katie Stack Morgan has been involved in Mars exploration efforts since 2014. Her work as a Research Scientist in the Geophysics and Planetary Geosciences Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, has been centered on expanding our knowledge of Mars' geology and planetary sciences. She has also been actively involved with the Mars Science Laboratory mission concurrently, serving as a Participating Scientist until 2022 after serving as a Collaborator in the Science Office from 2012 to 2015. She has also been involved in the development and implementation of the Mars 2020 Rover Mission, an ambitious project that aims to solve the secrets of the Red Planet, as the Deputy Project Scientist since 2017.

Achievements
The accomplishments of Katie Stack Morgan go back to her early academic accolades. These accolades include the 2008 American Mineralogist Undergraduate Award from the Mineralogical Society of America and the 2008 Freeman Foote Prize in Geology from Williams College, in addition to more recent honors. Her participation in the Science and Healthcare section of Forbes' 30 Under 30 list (2013) and her contributions to NASA's Mars exploration efforts—which have been recognized with multiple NASA Group Achievement Awards for the Mars Science Laboratory spanning from 2013, 2015, and 2017 and the NASA Software of the Year Award (2018)—are notable achievements. Her valuable contributions to the Mars 2020 Project have been recognized with a series of Voyager Awards spanning from 2018 to 2021, which have settled in more recent recognitions in 2021-2022 like the NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal (2022), the JPL Explorer Award (2022), and the JPL Edward Stone Award for Outstanding Research Publication (2021).


 * Mineralogical Society of America's American Mineralogist Undergraduate Award (2008)
 * Williams College Freeman Foote Prize in Geology (2008)
 * Caltech Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences Jahns Teaching Prize (2012)
 * Bighorn Basin Field Award (2012)
 * Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science and Healthcare (2013)
 * Mars Science Laboratory JPL Voyager Award (2015)
 * NASA Group Achievement Award, MSL (2013, 2015, 2017)
 * NASA Software of the Year Award, JPL OnSight Team Collaborator (2018)
 * Mars 2020 Project Voyager Award (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
 * The JPL Edward Stone Award for Outstanding Research Publication (2021)
 * NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal (2022)
 * JPL Explorer Award (2022)

Projects

 * Mars 2020
 * MSL - Mars Science Laboratory