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Maya Yanez

 

E-mail: mdyanez@usc.edu 

Address: University of Southern California, Department of Earth Sciences

825 Bloom Walk, ACB 302

Los Angeles, California 90089-0740

SUMMARY

 

​Maya is interested in the interplay between life and geochemical cycling on other Solar System Bodies. Within this, she is especially curious about how we explore these bodies with in situ missions and how the community defines biosignature, or evidence for life. She is currently beginning experiments for life in Titan analogue conditions. 

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RESEARCH POSITIONS

 

  • Research Assistant, University of Southern California, Amend Lab: Anaerobic culturing of acetylene fermentors in Titan analogue conditions (2019 -   )

  • Research Assistant, University of Colorado Boulder: Alpine Microbiology Lab, Performed microbial DNA extractions and troubleshooting the sequencing pipeline(s) (2019)

  • Research Assistant, University of Colorado Boulder: Observational Astronomy of Pluto Ices, used NIR spectra from a ground based observatory to analyze changes in Pluto’s surface ice levels (2016-2019)

  • Research Fellow, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Ice Geochemistry,  Studied the surface/subsurface ice geochemistry of Europa for a potential lander mission (2018)

  • Research Fellow, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Planetary Ices, Using Pluto-like conditions studied the potential radical chemistry products (2017)

TEACHING POSITIONS

 

  • Teaching Assistant, University of Southern California, GEOL 126 History of Life on Earth: A View from the Museum, taught weekly labs to non-science major students (Spring 2020)

  • ​Teaching Assistant, University of Southern California, GEOL 107 Oceanography, taught weekly labs to non-science major students (Fall 2019)

  • Learning Assistant, University of Colorado Boulder; Ran weekly labs and night observing labs for the introductory astronomy course. (Fall 2017)

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SERVICE

 

  • USC Earth Sciences Department Racial Equity Task Force (2020)  

  • SoCal Geobio Planning Committee (2020) 

  • DPS Professional Development Committee (Fall 2018- Present)

  • Founder and President of URSA, University of Colorado Boulder (Fall 2017- May 2019)

  • Congressional Visit Day Participant, American Astronomical Society (March 2017)

  • Course Fees Committee Undergrad Representative, University of Colorado Boulder (Fall 2017- Fall 2018)

  • Inclusive Excellence Committee Undergrad Representative, University of Colorado Boulder (Fall 2015- Spring 2016)

MEMBERSHIPS

 

  • American Astronomical Society

  • SACNAS

EDUCATION

 

University of Southern California, Ph.D. in Earth Sciences, NOW

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University of Colorado Boulder, B.A. in Astronomy, cum laude, May 2019

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