Dr. Amy McAdam
Atmospheric Experiments Laboratory, Code 699 Telephone: (301) 614-6414
Solar System Exploration Division FAX: (301) 614-6406
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Email: amy.mcadam-1@nasa.gov
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Biography:
Dr. McAdam is a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow in the Atmospheric Experiments Laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. She is a geochemist with a research emphasis on the mineralogy and chemistry of planetary materials and their analogs. Her research involves evolved gas analysis (EGA) studies of Mars analog minerals and materials in support of similar measurements that will be taken by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. During her Ph.D. research, she investigated martian alteration processes through studies of the mineralogy and chemistry of Antarctic analog rocks and soils and through theoretical geochemical modeling of water-rock interactions. She has experience interrogating natural samples with a variety of analytical techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), secondary electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD).
Education:
Ph.D. in Geological Sciences (2008), Arizona State University (ASU), Tempe, AZ, USA.
B.S. in Chemistry (2001), Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI, USA.
B.S. in Geology (2001), Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI, USA.
Additional Major in Environmental Geosciences (2001), Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI, USA.
Professional Experience:
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow (2008)
NASA Space Grant Fellow (2006, 2007)
NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program Fellow (2003-2006)
Graduate Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant, ASU (2001-2003)
Carnegie Institution of Washington Summer Intern, Geophysical Laboratory (2000)
National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates Program Intern, MSU (1999)
Teaching/Research Assistant, MSU (1998-2001)
Honors and Awards:
ASU Division of Graduate Studies Dissertation Fellowship (2007-2008)
ASU NASA Space Grant Fellowship (2006, 2007)
Graduate Student Researchers Program Fellowship (2003-2006)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Competition Honorable Mention (2003)
ASU University Graduate Scholars Award (2001-2003)
ASU Graduate Tuition Scholarship (2001-2003)
The American Chemical Society Robert Clark Kedzie Award to the Outstanding Chemistry Major, MSU (2001)
John T. Wilband Memorial Scholarship, for MSU’s Geology Field Camp (2001)
Thomas Alan Deline Scholarship in Chemistry, a MSU research based award (1999-2000)
Keki & Phyllis Mistry Award in Chemistry, a MSU research based award (2000)
Member of the Honors College, MSU (1996-2001)
Community Foundation Scholarship, MSU (1996-1997)
Michigan Competitive Scholarship, MSU (1996-1997)
Peer-Reviewed Publications:
* McAdam, A. C., Zolotov, M. Yu., Sharp, T. G., and Leshin, L. A. (2008) Preferential low-pH dissolution of pyroxene in plagioclase-pyroxene mixtures: Implications for martian surface materials, Icarus, 196, 90-96.
Conference Papers:
* McAdam, A. C., Hoffman, E. J., Coleman, A., Sharp, T. G., and Harvey, R. P. (2008) Iron oxides in Ferrar Dolerite weathering products (Martian soil analogs). Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 43, A94.
* McAdam, A. C., Zolotov, M. Yu., Mironenko, M. V., and Sharp, T. G. (2008) Formation of martian silica-rich deposits through rock alteration: A theoretical assessment. LPS XXXVIIII, Abstract #2371.
* McAdam, A. C., Zolotov, M. Yu., Mironenko, M. V., Sharp, T. G. (2007) Formation of silica deposits on Mars by acid weathering: Physical-chemical constraints. EOS Transactions AGU 88, Fall Meeting Supplement, Abstract P11A-0255.
* McAdam, A. C., Zolotov, M. Yu., Mironenko, M. V., and Sharp, T. G. (2007) Preferential low-pH dissolution of pyroxene in plagioclase-pyroxene mixtures and implications for martian low-albedo regions. LPS XXXVIII, Abstract #1871.
* McAdam, A. C., Zolotov, M. Yu., Mironenko, M. V., and Sharp, T. G. (2007) Acid weathering of basaltic lithologies: Equilibrium modeling and applications to Mars. LPS XXXVIII, Abstract #2198.
* McAdam, A. C., Zolotov, M. Yu., Mironenko, M. V., Leshin, L. A., and Sharp, T. G. (2006) Low pH weathering of Mars analog lithologies: Thermodynamic modeling. Sixteenth Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Abstract #1147.
* McAdam, A. C., Zolotov, M. Yu., Mironenko, M. V., Leshin, L. A., and Sharp, T. G. (2006) Aqueous chemical weathering of a Mars analog lithology: kinetic modeling for a Ferrar Dolerite composition. LPS XXXV1I, Abstract #2363.
* McAdam, A. C., Leshin, L. A., Sharp, T. G., Harvey, R. P., and Farquhar, J. (2005) Characterization of an Antarctic Mars Analog Soil and Implications for Martian Weathering Processes. EOS Transactions AGU 86, Fall Meeting Supplement, Abstract P51D-0957.
* McAdam, A. C., Leshin, L. A., Sharp, T. G., Harvey, R. P, and Hoffman, E. J. (2005) Investigation of weathering products of martian meteorite analog materials and implications for the formation of martian surface fines. LPS XXXVI, Abstract #2041.
* McAdam, A. C., Leshin, L. A., Harvey, R. P, and Hoffman, E. J. (2004) Antarctic soil derived from the Ferrar Dolerite and implications for the formation of martian surface materials. Second Conference on Early Mars, Abstract #8050.
* McAdam, A. C., Leshin, L. A., and Harvey, R. P. (2003) Characterization of the weathering products of Antarctic martian meteorite analog materials and implications for the formation of martian surface fines. Sixth International Conference on Mars, Abstract #3203.
* McAdam, A. C., Leshin, L. A., and Harvey, R. P. (2002) Investigation of weathering products of Martian meteorite analog materials on Earth and applications to Martian dust analysis. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 37, A96.
* Sharma A., McAdam, A., Cody, G. D., Hazen, R. M. and Hemley, R. J. (2001) Direct observations on the phase behavior of CO2 in hydrothermal systems. Abstracts of Papers of The American Chemical Society, 221, 127.
* Sharma A., McAdam, A., Hemley, R. J., Cody, G. D., Hazen, R. M., and Chou, I-M. (2001) Experimental determination of phase equilibria in the system H2O-CO2 at high pressure and temperature with implications on the presence of organic phases. Eleventh Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Abstract #3841.
Public Outreach:
Co-presenter of ASU Center for Meteorite Studies (CMS) display at ASU Astronomy Open Houses (2006, 2007)
Volunteer, ASU CMS display at national Astronomy Day event, Arizona Science Center (2007)
Volunteer, ASU CMS display, Sally Ride Science Festival (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Volunteer, Earth Science Day event, ASU (2001-2007)
Volunteer, ASU CMS display, SEE ASU event (2004-2007)
Volunteer, meteorite exercise, ASU Mars Education program (2003)
Professional Memberships:
Meteoritical Society
Mineralogical Society of America (MSA)
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Geological Society of America (GSA)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
