Frances Butcher

Dr Frances Butcher is a UK Space Agency Exploration Science Research Fellow at the School of Geography and Planning, University of Sheffield. A planetary scientist and glacial geomorphologist, she specializes in Martian and terrestrial glaciology, using satellite data to analyze glacial landforms on Mars while applying Earth analogs for comparative studies. Her work directly informs future Mars exploration missions, including ice-access objectives.

Research Interests: Active in glacial geomorphology, Dr Butcher investigates both Martian and terrestrial glacial systems, focusing on landforms produced by glaciation and meltwater activity. Her work explores Mars' ice deposits for environmental change history and potential utilization in human missions, while reconstructing Earth's former ice sheets through landform analysis. Comparative studies between Earth and Mars glaciers are central to her research.

Scientific Leadership: She founded the CryoMars network and serves on the UK Space Agency's Space Exploration Advisory Committee. Recent involvement includes membership on the International Mars Ice Mapper (I-MIM) Measurement Definition Team and the European Space Agency LightShip-SpotLight orbiter team. Current research is funded by the UK Space Agency and Leverhulme Trust.

Grants:

• 2025: UK Space Agency Exploration Science Fellowship
• 2022: Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellowship
• 2020: British Society of Geomorphology Conference Support
• 2019: INQUA Conference Grant
• 2019: Lunar and Planetary Institute Career Development Award

Teaching: Currently instructs modules on Polar and Alpine Change, The Planets, and Geospatial Dissertation at Sheffield. Past teaching includes Cambridge's 3rd Year Glaciology and Manchester's Digital Terrain Analysis lectures.