Year entered program: 2023
Department: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Mentor: Adrian Brearley, Ph.D.
Interests: Petrology and minerology of meteorites

Bio

Katie Goss grew up in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, where she became curious about science and the workings of the world around her. Her academic journey took her to Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, where she graduated with a B.A. in Geology and a minor in Statistics. Although uncertain about her focus initially, an introductory geology course ignited her passion for studying rocks and their environmental implications.

In her junior year, Goss was selected for a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Under the guidance of Dr. Michael Weisberg, she studied an Enstatite Chondrite and presented her research at the 2022 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, winning the Dwornik Award. Her work was later published in March 2023.

During the summer before her senior year, Goss was part of another REU program at Brown University, where she collaborated with Dr. Stephen Parman and Dr. Joseph Boesenberg to study a Carbonaceous Chondrite. Fascinated by Chondrites—ancient rocks that offer a glimpse into the early solar system—she opted to specialize in this field for her graduate studies.

Goss is a first-year Ph.D. student at the University of New Mexico. She is eager to continue researching Carbonaceous Chondrites and is excited to work with her mentor, Dr. Adrian Brearley.