Nina Lanza

Dr. Nina Lanza is the Team Lead for Space and Planetary Exploration at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Her research focuses on Martian manganese minerals as potential biosignatures. She contributes to the ChemCam instrument on NASA's Curiosity rover and the upcoming SuperCam on the Mars 2020 mission. Trained at Smith College (AB), Wesleyan University (MA), and the University of New Mexico (PhD), she transitioned from post-baccalaureate roles to LANL staff in 2014.

Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, leveraging LANL's diverse expertise. She advocates for STEM inclusivity, particularly for women and underrepresented groups, inspired by her childhood comet-watching experience. Beyond science, she performs in a choral group and maintains an active lifestyle through yoga and HIIT.