Thomas J. Zega

Thomas J. Zega is Professor of Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona, with joint appointments in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He is a member of the Graduate Faculty and conducts research at the Kuiper Materials Imaging and Characterization Facility.

Education:

• Specific degree details not provided in the text.

Research Interests:
Professor Zega specializes in the atomic-scale characterization of planetary materials, meteorites, and presolar grains. His work integrates transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), and focused ion beam (FIB) techniques to unravel the formation and alteration histories of extraterrestrial samples. Key themes include nebular thermodynamics, parent-body hydrothermal alteration, and space weathering.

Across his recent publications, Zega has emphasized in-situ analytical techniques applied to asteroidal regolith, calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), and ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites. Studies of Itokawa particles, Miller Range 07687, and hibonite thermobarometry highlight an integrated approach combining experimental petrology, isotope cosmochemistry, and quantitative EELS.

Awards & Honors:
No specific awards listed in the provided text.

Advising & Grants:
Professor Zega mentors graduate students as part of the UA Graduate Faculty. While individual student names are not listed, he is active in training the next generation of planetary scientists and engineers through hands-on work at the Kuiper facility.

Laboratories & Teams:
He leads research efforts within the Kuiper Materials Imaging and Characterization Facility, a state-of-the-art laboratory for coordinated electron and ion microscopy of planetary materials.