Jennifer Fernando joined LPL in November 2015 as a postdoctoral researcher working on the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) processing and analysis with Dr. Alfred McEwen and Dr. Shane Byrne. As a planetary geologist, her research focuses on the characterization of the martian past (e.g., volcanic, sedimentary) and present (seasonal processes linked to the surface-atmosphere exchanges) processes in order to better understand the planet's internal (volcanism) and external (climate) dynamic systems and to evaluate their impact in surface changes. To constrain these processes, Jennifer uses orbital visible and near-infrared remote sensing observations to derive quantitative information about the chemical (e.g., composition, mineral abundances) and physical properties (grain size, morphology, internal structure) of surface materials. On the HiRISE team, Jennifer is working on the development of an innovative and quantitative processing tool that includes a sophisticated correction for the atmospheric and surface scattering contributions of the HiRISE color images in order to estimate quantitative information about the surface materials. This development will also enable analysis of images taken under variable geometric acquisitions and atmospheric conditions useful to track current surface changes (e.g., CO2 defrosting and Recurring Slope Lineae features).

Jennifer is from Paris, France. She earned a B.S. and a M.S. in Earth and Universe Science with a specialty in Planetary Science (2011) at the University of Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris, France). She earned her Ph.D. in 2014 from the University of Paris-Sud 11 (Orsay, France). Her thesis focuses on the estimates of the martian surface microtexture using visible hyper spectral and multi-angular data in order to give new constraints about the geological processes responsible for Mars evolution. Jennifer enjoys traveling, hiking and cooking (bon appétit!).