Lead OSIRIS-REx Curator  Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES), NASA Johnson Space Center, March 2023-Present
•Led curation team activities toward development of procedures for spacecraft disassembly, processing, and preliminary examination of a returned asteroid sample
• Development of collection conservation long-term planning documents
• Coordinated contamination control and knowledge activities to prevent sample contamination
• Coordinated development of curation database for returned samples
• Managed curation interface with mission science team, including development of curation compliant science equipment that will be used in the cleanroom during preliminary examination
• Coordinated database documentation of contamination knowledge samples

Deputy OSIRIS-REx Curator, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES), NASA Johnson Space Center, March 2020-March 2023• Managed curation interface with mission science team, including development of curation compliant science equipment that will be used in the cleanroom during preliminary examination
• Coordinated contamination control and knowledge activities to prevent sample contamination
• Co-lead curation team activities toward development of procedures for spacecraft disassembly, processing, and preliminary examination of a returned asteroid sample• Contributed to the OSIRIS-REx curation plan, including leading the writing and editing of the plan during the last year before the plan was finalized in January 2022
• Coordinated database documentation of contamination knowledge samples
• Managed and conducted monitoring of the OSIRIS-REx curation clean lab
• Lead NASA proposal review panels as a group chief
• Attended Antarctic meteorite allocation panels to learn how to organize similar astromaterial allocation panels for the OSIRIS-REx collection
• Worked on the loan agreement for the OSIRIS-REx collection

Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, September 2018-Present

• Studying the petrology and geochemistry of lunar meteorite breccias, Rumuruti chondrites, and iron meteorites
• Instructor-of-record for Planet Mars, a planetary geology course for non-majors

Peter Buck Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Fellow, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, September 2015-September 2018

• Performed melting and hydrothermal experiments using a 1-bar gas mixing furnace, a vertical furnace with a molybdenum-alloy pressure vessel experiments at high temperatures and moderate pressures (e.g., 1100 °C and 500 bars), and a horizontal cold seal furnace at moderate temperatures and pressures (e.g., 700 °C and 400 bars)
• Characterized experimental charges and meteorites with petrographic microscope
• Analyzed experimental charges and meteorites with scanning electron microscope and electron microprobes (JEOL 8900, JEOL 8530F at the Carnegie Institution for Science, and JEOL 8530F at the Smithsonian Institution)
• Outreach including meteorite vault tours, public programs, and presentations to middle school students
• Mentor to graduate and undergraduate students

Graduate Researcher, Lecturer, and Teaching Assistant, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, August 2012-August 2015

• Performed research involving meteorite petrology and geochemistry
• Used the following instruments: electron microprobe (EMP), secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS), laser ablation-inductively coupled-mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS), Raman microprobe, scanning electron microprobe (SEM), and petrographic microscope
• Taught, as a lecturer, an introductory-level physical geology course
• Guest lectured in mineralogy and introductory planetary geology
• Led and designed laboratory activities for mineralogy, petrology, and introductory planetary geology
• Mentored undergraduates working on senior theses and other research projects

Meteorite Technician Contractor, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, September 2010-August 2012.

• Performed support and classification work for the Antarctic Meteorite Collection
• Prepared meteorite sections for scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe, and ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar analyses
• Assisted curators and summer interns with research projects: surveyed potential research samples, cut/subsampled meteorites, documented meteorite subsampling, analyzed samples with the scanning electron microscope and electron microprobe, extracted/processed data, drafted figures, replied to reviewer comments regarding figures, and other support activities
• Evaluated and responded to potential meteorites from members of the public
• Photographed and scanned ~2,000 meteorite thin sections as part of a collection digitization project

Volunteer Math Teacher, Academy of Hope in Washington, D.C., January 2011-July 2012

• Taught basic arithmetic to adults preparing to take the GED

Adjunct Faculty Member, University of St. Thomas in St. Paul Minnesota, January 2010-July 2010

• Taught and prepared laboratory activities
• Guest lectured in introductory-level Physical Geology and Natural Disasters courses
• Led field trips for introductory students

Field Assistant, Villanova University, May 2009-August 2009

• Measured carbon dioxide gas emission for a carbon sequestration study

Graduate Researcher and Teaching Assistant, University of California, Davis, September 2005-May 2009

• Set-up a laboratory space for pollen and phytolith extraction
• Implemented and modified a phytolith (biogenic opal from plants) extraction procedure
• Taught geology discussion sessions and guest lectured to classes of up to 100 students
• Supervised students at field camp mapping faults through Quaternary glacial moraines and alluvial fans

Research Assistant, USGS California Water Science Center, June 2006-September 2006

• Assisted with sediment core processing, digitally analyzing peat core photographs, bulk density measurements, and loss-on-ignition analyses

NSF-REU Intern, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, June 2004-September 2004

• Assisted in the collection of sediment cores, modern ostracods and groundwater
• Performed the following analyses on sediments: loss-on-ignition, grain size distribution, and magnetic susceptibility
• Picked and identified mollusk faunal remains