Papers
8
Total Citations
162
H-Index
7
About
Dominic Jonak is a pioneering roboticist whose work sits at the intersection of extreme environment exploration and astrobiology. His primary research focuses on developing autonomous robotic systems for surveying and mapping some of Earth’s most inhospitable terrains—from the Mars-like Atacama Desert to flooded sinkholes and polar ice sheets—as analogs for future planetary missions. Jonak’s major contributions include the design and field deployment of rovers like Zoë and Scarab, which have demonstrated long-distance autonomous navigation and resource prospecting, as well as the DEPTHX underwater vehicle that explored Mexico’s cenotes. His work on the Life in the Atacama (LITA) project introduced a novel scoring system for habitability, integrating geological and biological data to guide robotic life-detection. With his most-cited paper, “Second Experiments in the Robotic Investigation of Life in the Atacama Desert of Chile,” garnering 58 citations, Jonak’s impact is evident in the foundational role his field experiments play in shaping autonomous exploration strategies. Notably, his Scarab rover concept for lunar crater resource survey and the LORAX polar astrobiological mission highlight his sustained influence on both terrestrial analog studies and future off-world exploration.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Autonomous Exploration and Mapping of Flooded Sinkholes21 citations · 2009
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- 6DEPTHX Autonomy Software: Design and Field Results12 citations · 2018
- 7Rover Design for Polar Astrobiological Exploration12 citations · 2018
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