Amanda R. Hendrix (May 21, 1968) is an American

planetary scientist Planetary science (or more rarely, planetology) is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), celestial bodies (such as moons, asteroids, comets) and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes of th ...

known for her pioneering studies of solar system bodies at ultraviolet wavelengths. She is a senior scientist at the

Planetary Science Institute The Planetary Science Institute (PSI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute based in Tucson, Arizona, focusing on planetary science. , its director is Dr. Mark V. Sykes. PSI, along with Space Science Institute (SSI) Southwest Research ...

. Her research interests include moon and asteroid surface composition, space weathering effects and radiation products. She is a co-investigator on the Cassini UVIS instrument, was a co-investigator on the Galileo UVS instrument, is a Participating Scientist on the

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a NASA robotic spacecraft currently orbiting the Moon in an eccentric polar mapping orbit. Data collected by LRO have been described as essential for planning NASA's future human and robotic missions to ...

LAMP instrument and is a Principal Investigator on

Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope (often referred to as HST or Hubble) is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990 and remains in operation. It was not the first space telescope, but it is one of the largest and most ver ...

observing programs. As of 2019, she is also the co-lead of the NASA Roadmaps to Oceans World Group. Before moving to PSI, Hendrix worked for 12 years at

Jet Propulsion Laboratory The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center in the City of La Cañada Flintridge, California, United States. Founded in the 1930s by Caltech researchers, JPL is owned by NASA ...

in the Comets, Asteroids and Satellites Group. She was the Deputy Project Scientist for the Cassini–Huygens mission (2010-2012). Hendrix was a NASA astronaut candidate finalist in 2000. She received a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (California Polytechnic State University, Cal Poly"Cal Poly" may also refer to California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, California or California State Polytechnic Univ ...

and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the

University of Colorado Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado s ...

Awards and honors

Hendrix was awarded the

Lew Allen Award for Excellence Lew Allen Award for Excellence is a medal of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Established in 1986 as the ''Director’s Research Achievement Award;'' it was then renamed in honor of JPL's Director Lew Allen when he retired in 1990. This award recogn ...

in 2006. Asteroid 6813 Amandahendrix was named in her honor. The official naming citation was published by the

Minor Planet Center The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Function ...

on 25 September 2018 ().

Media and Outreach

While at JPL, Hendrix wrote several blog posts on Cassini results and participated in Cassini Scientist for a Day on several occasions. Hendrix gave
Von Karman lecture
(Enceladus: The newest wrinkle from Saturn's tiger-striped moon) in Pasadena in 2008 and the Kepler lecture (Lunar Exploration: From the Apollo Era to the Future) at Mt. San Antonio College in 2013. She has appeared on several episodes of the History Channel's The Universe and the Discovery Channel's How the Universe Works. She spoke at the Griffith Observatory's Cassini Program in 2009 and has written for the Planetary Report Hendrix has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses at Cal Poly, Pomona,

Mt. San Antonio College Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) is a public community college in southern California, located in Walnut in eastern Los Angeles County. It offers more than 260 degree and certificate programs, 25 support programs, and more than 50 stude ...

and

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hendrix, Amanda 1968 births Living people American aerospace engineers California Polytechnic State University alumni University of Colorado Boulder alumni American women scientists Planetary scientists Women planetary scientists 21st-century American women