Bio
BioDr. Debra Buczkowski has extensive background in planetary mapping and kinematic analysis of terrestrial planets, moons, and asteroids and has designed numerical models to explain structural phenomena on Mars, Venus, Eros, Vesta, and Ceres. Her research projects include mapping and kinematic analysis of structural features on Venus, Mars, Ceres, 4 Vesta, and 433 Eros; geologic mapping of Mercury (the Caloris basin), Venus (V-18 Lachesis Tessera and V-19 Sedna Planitia quadrangles), Mars (western Aeolis Mons), the Moon, Ceres, and Vesta; mapping, structural analysis, and numerical modeling of giant polygons on Mars; topographic analysis and numerical modeling of quasi-circular depressions (QCDs) in the northern lowlands of Mars; and spectroscopic analysis of outcrops in northwestern Noachis Terra and the Argyre basin (Mars).
Notable Awards and Leadership
Notable Awards and Leadership| Year(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Year(s) 2025 - Present | Description Chair, Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG); deputy chair, 2022 – 2025 |
| Year(s) 2025 - Present | Description Editor in chief, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets; previous editor positions include: editor, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2024; associate editor, Icarus, 2019 – 2023; guest associate editor, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, CRISM/OMEGA special issue, 2011 – 2013 |
| Year(s) 2019 | Description Ronald Greeley Award for Distinguished Service, for service to the Planetary Geology Division of the Geological Society of America |
| Year(s) 2011 - 2026 | Description NASA Achievement Awards: 2026, Mars 2020 Jezero Western Fan & Margin Units team; 2024, Mars 2020 Mastcam-Z Science & Operations team; 2019, Dawn Science Team; 2014, Mars Science Laboratory Relay Operations team; 2013, Dawn Science Team; 2011, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) Science Team |
| Year(s) 2010 - 2016 | Description Executive board member, Planetary Geology Division, Geological Society of America; secretary treasurer, 2010 – 2012; second vice chair, 2012 – 2013; vice chair, 2013 – 2014; chair, 2014 – 2015; past chair, 2015 – 2016 |
| Year(s) 2009 | Description APL Special Achievement Award (1) for development of a proposal writing guide and (2) as part of the MRO CRISM uplink team |
| Year(s) 2005 - 2008 | Description APL Postdoctoral Fellowship |
| Year(s) 2003 - 2005 | Description NASA Graduate Research Fellowship |
