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About

Therese Errigo is a key figure in planetary science, renowned for her instrumental contributions to the exploration of Mars. Her primary research focuses on the development and application of advanced mass spectrometry for in-situ planetary analysis. As a core member of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) team, she played an instrumental role in the design and operation of the SAM instrument suite aboard the Curiosity rover. Her most-cited work, *The Sample Analysis at Mars Investigation and Instrument Suite* (2012, 563 citations), details how SAM analyzes the chemical and isotopic composition of the Martian atmosphere and organic compounds in rock and soil samples. This foundational paper underpins the mission’s goal of assessing Mars’ past habitability. Through her expertise, Errigo has directly enabled groundbreaking discoveries, including the detection of organic molecules and seasonal methane variations on the Red Planet. Her work is essential to understanding Mars’ geochemical evolution and its potential to have once supported life.