Lindy Elkins-Tanton

Lindy Elkins-Tanton serves as Professor of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of California, Berkeley and Director of the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory. She leads the NASA Psyche mission as Principal Investigator and co-founded Beagle Learning, a technology company advancing collaborative problem-solving education.

Her academic foundation includes a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Elkins-Tanton's research centers on terrestrial planetary formation and evolution, evidenced by her leadership of four Siberian field expeditions. She actively shapes space exploration policy as co-chair of the forthcoming National Academy of Sciences report "A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars" (2025), reflecting her expertise in planetary science and mission design.

Her distinguished honors include:

• Explorers Club Lowell Thomas prize (2010)
• Asteroid (8252) Elkins-Tanton named in her honor
• Mineral elkinstantonite named in her honor
• Astor Fellow at Oxford University (2013)
• Fellow of the American Geophysical Union
• Fellow of the American Mineralogical Society
• Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
• Elected to the National Academy of Sciences (2021)

Elkins-Tanton provides critical scientific guidance through roles on the Planetary Decadal Survey Mars panel, Mars 2020 Rover Science Definition Team, and Europa Clipper Standing Review Board. She co-authored the book "Earth" (2017) with Jeffrey Cohen, demonstrating her commitment to science communication.

As Director of the Space Sciences Laboratory, she oversees one of the world's premier space research facilities, while her leadership of the NASA Psyche mission pioneers exploration of metal-rich asteroids to understand planetary cores.