Tanja Michalik

Tanja Michalik is a Research Fellow at the Museum für Naturkunde (Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Research) in Berlin, Germany, where she works in the Department of Solar System, Impacts & Meteorites since 2023. She holds a PhD from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Free University Berlin, with her dissertation focusing on pitted impact deposits on Asteroid 4 Vesta.

• PhD: German Aerospace Center and Free University Berlin (2017-2022)
• Master of Science: Free University Berlin, Geodynamics and Geomaterials (2014-2017)
• Bachelor of Science: Free University Berlin, Geological Sciences (2010-2014)
• Academic Year Abroad: University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (2014/2015)

Dr. Michalik specializes in planetary science with a focus on asteroid research, spectral analysis, and impact crater studies. Her work involves mineralogical and spectral investigations of meteoritic samples, numerical modeling of impact events on the Moon, and analysis of remote sensing data from planetary bodies including Mars, the Moon, and asteroids Vesta and Ryugu. She has conducted extensive research on pitted impact deposits on Vesta using data from NASA's Dawn mission.

Her recent publications demonstrate expertise in laboratory VIS-NIR reflectance measurements, analysis of asteroid surface properties, and comparative studies between meteorite samples and in-situ asteroid observations. The research shows a consistent focus on understanding volatile-related processes on planetary bodies through spectral analysis techniques.

Dr. Michalik is currently working on DFG Project 528399203: "Investigation of processes related to volatiles on planetary rocky objects," which builds on her extensive background in analyzing impact deposits and asteroid surface properties.

Her research methodology combines laboratory measurements, spacecraft data analysis, and numerical modeling to investigate fundamental processes shaping planetary surfaces. She collaborates with international research teams, as evidenced by her publications with co-authors from multiple institutions worldwide.