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About

S. M. McLennan is a leading figure in planetary geology, with a research focus on the geochemistry and mineralogy of Mars, the evolution of its surface, and the search for ancient habitable environments. A key contributor to NASA’s Mars 2020 mission, McLennan played a central role in developing the SuperCam instrument suite (cited over 300 times), which uses laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and Raman techniques to analyze Martian rocks and soils from a distance. McLennan also co-led the PIXL instrument (Planetary Instrument for X-Ray Lithochemistry), a micro-focus X-ray fluorescence spectrometer that maps elemental chemistry at fine scales. Their experimental work on ferrihydrite stability under early Martian conditions (48 citations) has provided critical insights into how water-rock interactions shaped the planet’s mineralogical record. McLennan’s influence extends to sample return mission planning, including the CanMars analogue mission, which tested strategies for future Mars sample return. With a career spanning foundational studies of Martian primary lithologies and cutting-edge instrument development, McLennan’s work has been instrumental in defining the compositional diversity of the Martian crust and guiding the search for signs of past life.