Dr. Chris McKay, a senior planetary scientist at NASA Ames Research Center and one of the co-founders of the Mars Underground, will give a virtual plenary talk during the 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 15-18.
A renowned astrobiologist and expert on planetary atmospheres and terraforming, Dr. McKay’s research focuses on the evolution of the solar system and the origins of life. He is also involved in planning for future Mars missions including human exploration.
He has been actively engaged in polar and desert research and has traveled to the Antarctic Dry Valleys, Siberia, the Atacama Desert, the Namib Desert and the Arctic to conduct research in these Mars-like environments.
Dr. McKay has served as a Co-Investigator on the Titan Huygen’s probe, the Mars Phoenix lander and the Mars Science lander. He received a Ph.D. in AstroGeophysics from the University of Colorado and has authored or co-authored over 50 scientific articles on a wide variety of space-related subjects.
This year’s global Mars Society conference will be free of charge (although donations are welcome). For full registration details, please click here. Regular updates, including a list of confirmed speakers, will be posted in the coming weeks on the Mars Society web site and its social media platforms.
