Dr. Danielle Simkus is a researcher in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Dr. Simkus' research focus is on investigating the soluble organic content of meteorites and other astromaterials. She primarily uses gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) techniques to characterize, quantify, and measure the stable isotopic and enantiomeric signatures of prebiotic organic molecules (e.g., aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, monocarboxylic acids, amino acids) in extraterrestrial samples. Her work aims to better understand the abiotic processes involved in the synthesis and preservation of prebiotic organic matter relevant to the origin of life.
Danielle Simkus
(ASSISTANT RESEARCHER SCIENTIST)
| Email: | danielle.n.simkus@nasa.gov |
| Phone: | 301.614.5887 |
| Org Code: | 691 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 691 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: | CATHOLIC UNIV OF AMERICA |
Missions & Projects
Brief Bio
Positions/Employment
OSIRIS-REx Science Team Member
NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center
2020 - Present
Assistant Research Scientist
CRESSTII / Catholic University of America - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
January 2021 - Present
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (NASA Postdoctoral Program)
Universities Space Research Association - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
January 2018 - January 2021
Graduate Research Fellow
Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History - Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
2014 - 2014
Junior Research Scientist in Microbiology
University of Alberta - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2010 - 2011
Microbiology Lab Technician
University of Alberta - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2010 - 2011
Junior Research Scientist in Astrochemistry
University of Alberta - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2009 - 2010
Education
Ph.D. (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences - 2018) University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Thesis: "The Prebiotic Synthesis of Soluble Organic Matter in Carbonaceous Chondrites and the Influence of Asteroidal Aqueous Alteration". Advisor: Dr. Christopher Herd
M.Sc. (Earth and Environmental Sciences, Collaborative Graduate Program in Astrobiology - 2013) McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Thesis: "Exploring Microbial Communities and Carbon Cycling within the Earth's Deep Terrestrial Subsurface". Advisor: Dr. Greg Slater
B.Sc. (Double Major in Biological Sciences and Earth & Atmospheric Sciences - 2011) University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Professional Service
- Co-Founder and Co-Organizer of the NASA Goddard Early Career Scientist Spotlights (ECSS) (2020 - Present)
- Prebiotic Chemistry and Early Earth Environments (PCE3) Seminar Series Co-Organizer (2021 - 2023)
- NASA Goddard Association of Postdoctoral Scholars (NGAPS+) Co-President (2019 - 2020), Advocacy Co-Officer (2020 - 2021), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Subcommittee Member (2021), ECSS Lead and Advisor (2020 - Present)
- NASA Goddard Early Career Scientist Forum, Organizing Committee Member (2019)
- Executive Secretary and Panelist for proposal review panels (ROSES, FINESST, and NESSF) (2018 - Present)
- Co-Founder and Co-Organizer of the Grace Anne Stewart Speaker Series, University of Alberta (2015 - 2017)
Awards
- NASA Goddard Sciences and Exploration Directorate - Special Act Award (2024)
- NASA Goddard Sciences and Exploration Directorate - Special Act Award (2023)
- NASA Goddard Sciences and Exploration Directorate - Special Act Award (2022)
- NASA Goddard Sciences and Exploration Directorate - Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity - Group Award (2021)
- NASA Goddard Annual - Solar System Exploration Division - Peer Award (2021)
- NASA Goddard - Solar System Exploration Division - Special Thanks and Recognition (STAR) Award (2021)
- Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship (2016 – 2018)
- Gordon A. McKay Award, The Meteoritical Society (2016)
- Astromaterials Training and Research Opportunities (ASTRO) Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX) Graduate Student Travel Award (2015)
- Graduate Student Fellowship, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (2014)
- NASA-Nordic Astrobiology Winter School Scholar (2014)
- President's Doctoral Prize of Distinction, University of Alberta (2013 – 2016)
- NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (2013 – 2016)
- University of Alberta Professional Development Award (2013)
- NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) M.Sc. Fellowship (2011 – 2013)
- Sao Paulo Advanced School of Astrobiology Scholar (2011)
- NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (2009)
- University of Alberta Entrance Scholarship for Academic Excellence (2006)
Publications
Refereed
2024. "Analyzing the Mineralogy and Space Weathering Characteristics of the Finest Fraction in Apollo Core Sample 73002." Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 129 e2024JE008528 [Full Text] [10.1029/2024JE008528] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Analyzing the Mineralogy and Space Weathering Characteristics of the Finest Fraction in Apollo Core Sample 73002." Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 129 e2024JE008528 [Full Text] [10.1029/2024JE008528] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Soluble Organic Compounds and Cyanide in Apollo 17 Lunar Samples: Origins and Curation Effects." Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 129 (4): [10.1029/2023je008133] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "Investigating the impact of x‐ray computed tomography imaging on soluble organic matter in the Murchison meteorite: Implications for Bennu sample analyses." Meteoritics and Planetary Science [10.1111/maps.14111] [Journal Article/Letter]
2021. "Low total abundances and a predominance of n ‐ω‐amino acids in enstatite chondrites: Implications for thermal stability of amino acids in the inner solar system." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 56 (11): 2118–2127 [Full Text] [10.1111/maps.13757] [Journal Article/Letter]
2021. "The Grayness of the Origin of Life." Life 11 (6): 498 [10.3390/life11060498] [Journal Article/Letter]
2020. "Abundant extraterrestrial amino acids in the primitive CM carbonaceous chondrite Asuka 12236." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55 (9): 1979–2006 [Full Text] [10.1111/maps.13560] [Journal Article/Letter]
2020. "Extraterrestrial organic compounds and cyanide in the CM2 carbonaceous chondrites Aguas Zarcas and Murchison." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55 (7): 1509-1524 [Full Text] [10.1111/maps.13531] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "Methodologies for Analyzing Soluble Organic Compounds in Extraterrestrial Samples: Amino Acids, Amines, Monocarboxylic Acids, Aldehydes, and Ketones." Life 9 (47): 30 pages [Full Text] [10.3390/life9020047] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "New insights into the heterogeneity of the Tagish Lake meteorite: Soluble organic compositions of variously altered specimens." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 54 1283-1302 [10.1111/maps.13276] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "Compound-specific carbon isotope compositions of aldehydes and ketones in the Murchison meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 54 (1): 142-156 [10.1111/maps.13202] [Journal Article/Letter]
2016. "Draft Genome Sequences of Four Bacterial Strains Isolated from a Polymicrobial Culture of Naked (N-Type)Emiliania huxleyiCCMP1516: TABLE 1 ." Genome Announcements 4 (4): e00674-16 [10.1128/genomea.00674-16] [Journal Article/Letter]
2016. "Draft Genome Sequences of Seven Bacterial Strains Isolated from a Polymicrobial Culture of Coccolith-Bearing (C-Type)Emiliania huxleyiM217: TABLE 1 ." Genome Announcements 4 (4): e00673-16 [10.1128/genomea.00673-16] [Journal Article/Letter]
2016. "Cold curation of pristine astromaterials: Insights from the Tagish Lake meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 51 (3): 499-519 [10.1111/maps.12603] [Journal Article/Letter]
2016. "Variations in microbial carbon sources and cycling in the deep continental subsurface." Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 173 264-283 [10.1016/j.gca.2015.10.003] [Journal Article/Letter]
2014. "Soluble organic compounds in the Tagish Lake meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 49 (4): 526-549 [10.1111/maps.12272] [Journal Article/Letter]
2011. "Origin and Evolution of Prebiotic Organic Matter As Inferred from the Tagish Lake Meteorite." Science 332 (6035): 1304-1307 [Full Text] [10.1126/science.1203290] [Journal Article/Letter]
2011. "Origin and evolution of prebiotic organic matter as inferred from the Tagish Lake meteorite." Science 332 1304-1307 [10.1126/science.1203290] [Journal Article/Letter]