Cynthia B. Phillips (born 1973) is an American planetary geologist who works for

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

at the

Jet Propulsion Laboratory The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a Federally funded research and development centers, federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) in La Cañada Flintridge, California, Crescenta Valley, United States. Founded in 1936 by Cali ...

. A focus of her research has been

Europa Europa may refer to: Places * Europa (Roman province), a province within the Diocese of Thrace * Europa (Seville Metro), Seville, Spain; a station on the Seville Metro * Europa City, Paris, France; a planned development * Europa Cliffs, Alexan ...

, one of the moons of Jupiter, and she is project staff scientist and project science communications lead for the

Europa Clipper Europa Clipper (previously known as Europa Multiple Flyby Mission) is a space probe developed by NASA to study Europa (moon), Europa, a Galilean moon of Jupiter. It was launched on October 14, 2024. The spacecraft used a gravity assist from Mar ...

spacecraft mission. An expert on processing images from space missions to the planets and their moons, and on the geological processes operating within moons, she has studied the effects of asteroid impacts on the surface of Europa, and definitions of non-earth-based life that could apply on places like Europa that are outside the

circumstellar habitable zone In astronomy and astrobiology, the habitable zone (HZ), or more precisely the circumstellar habitable zone (CHZ), is the range of orbits around a star within which a planetary surface can support liquid water given sufficient atmospheric press ...

Education and career

Phillips went to

Concord-Carlisle High School Concord-Carlisle High School (CCHS) is a public high school located in Concord, Massachusetts, United States. It is northwest of Boston. The school serves grades 9–12, and as part of the Concord-Carlisle Regional School District has students ...

Concord, Massachusetts Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is n ...

, where she grew up. She was an undergraduate at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, where she studied astronomy, astrophysics, and physics, graduating

magna cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...

with an A.B. in 1995. She completed a Ph.D. in planetary science at the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...

in 2000. Her dissertation, ''Voyager and Galileo SSI Views of Volcanic Resurfacing on Io and the Search for Geologic Activity on Europa'', was supervised by

Alfred McEwen Alfred McEwen is a professor of planetary geology at the University of Arizona. McEwen is a member of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory where he directs the director of the Planetary Image Research Laboratory. He is a member of the imaging scie ...

. She worked as a researcher at the

SETI Institute The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit research organization incorporated in 1984 whose mission is to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe, and to use this knowledge to inspire and guide present and futu ...

for 15 years before joining the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to work on the Europa Clipper mission.

Books

As well as her research publications, Phillips is a coauthor with Shana Priwer of science popularization books including: *''101 Things You Didn't Know About Da Vinci: Inventions, Intrigue, and Unpublished Works'' *''101 Things You Didn't Know About Einstein: Sex, Science, and the Secrets of the Universe'' *''The Everything Astronomy Book: Discover the Mysteries of the Universe'' *''The Everything Da Vinci Book: Explore the Life and Times of the Ultimate Renaissance Man'' *''The Everything Einstein Book: From Matter and Energy to Space and Time, All You Need to Understand the Man and His Theories'' *''Essential Astronomy: Everything You Need to Understand the Mysteries of Our Universe'' *''Space Exploration for Dummies'', *''Bridges and Spans'' *''Dams and Waterways'' *''Skyscrapers and High Rises'' *''Ancient Monuments'' *''Modern Wonders''

References

External links

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Ask an Astrobiologist: Dr. Cynthia Phillips and Europa Clipper
Planetary News, March 25, 2021 {{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Cynthia B. 1973 births Living people American planetary scientists American women planetary scientists American geologists American women geologists Harvard College alumni University of Arizona alumni Jet Propulsion Laboratory faculty