Chris McKay, Ph.D. is a planetary scientist with the Space Science Division of NASA's Ames Research Center. His current research focuses on the evolution of the solar system and the origin of life. He is actively involved in planning for future Mars missions including human settlements. Dr. McKay is also one of the world's leading researchers studying Titan, and has been involved in numerical modeling of planetary atmospheres. He has been involved with polar research since 1980, traveling to the Antarctic dry valleys and more recently to the Siberian and Canadian Arctic to conduct research in these Mars-like environments. He received his Ph.D. in AstroGeophysics from the University of Colorado in 1982 and has been a research scientist with NASA Ames since that time. Dr. McKay is a recipient of the prestigious Kuiper Award from the Division of Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society. |