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About

U. Staufer is a pioneering figure in both planetary science and nanorobotics, whose work bridges the vast scales of Mars exploration and the atomic realm. Her most impactful contribution comes from the Phoenix Mars mission, where she played a key role in analyzing the icy soil of the planet’s northern arctic region. The landmark paper “H₂O at the Phoenix Landing Site” (2009) has amassed over 559 citations, fundamentally advancing our understanding of water ice on Mars and the planet’s habitability potential. On the microscale, Staufer has driven innovation in haptic teleoperation and nanomanipulation. She developed the “Nano-Workbench,” a system combining a hollow atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever with four sugar-cube-sized robotic manipulators, enabling precise handling of femtolitre liquid volumes. This work, along with her research on haptic tele-operated microassembly, demonstrates her unique ability to merge robotics, microscopy, and fluidics for applications in microassembly and nanotechnology. Staufer’s dual expertise—from planetary ice to nanoscale liquid manipulation—marks her as a versatile and influential researcher whose work continues to inspire cross-disciplinary exploration.