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About

Bruce M. Jakosky is a pioneering planetary scientist renowned for his transformative contributions to Mars exploration and atmospheric evolution. His research centers on the history of the Martian atmosphere, the stability of volatiles, and the search for habitable environments. Jakosky’s most influential work stems from his role as Principal Investigator for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Curiosity rover. The seminal 2012 paper describing SAM, with over 560 citations, details how this advanced chemical laboratory analyzes the composition of the Martian atmosphere and organic compounds in rock and soil samples. This investigation has been critical in assessing Mars’ past habitability and the processes that transformed its climate. Beyond SAM, Jakosky led the MAVEN mission, which has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of how solar wind stripped away Mars’ ancient atmosphere. His research, cited thousands of times, has established the framework for understanding planetary climate change and the potential for life beyond Earth. A professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, Jakosky’s work continues to guide the next generation of Mars scientists.