Anushree
SrivastavaShe/Her
Anushree Srivastava, an astrobiologist specializing in Mars research, investigates early Mars hypersaline environments and microbial interactions with crystalline salts, exploring potential life indicators. Joining the Mars 2020 mission at EPL, she collaborates with Dr. Andrew Steele, analyzing data from the SHERLOC instrument on Mars and providing crucial laboratory support for mission operations.
Overview
Anushree Srivastava is an astrobiologist with a Ph.D. in Astrobiology from Open University in the UK. Srivastava's research focuses mainly on exploring the possibility of life on Mars. She is interested in understanding the habitability of early Mars hypersaline environments and the interaction between microbial life and crystalline salts, such as chlorides and sulfates. To further her research, Srivastava has visited various Mars analog environments, including an Arctic Circle impact crater and a kilometer-deep mine in England. She is currently a team member of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite onboard NASA's Curiosity rover.
At EPL, Srivastava will embark on her journey with the Mars 2020 mission alongside Staff Scientist Dr. Andrew Steele. Her primary role will be to analyze and decipher the datasets obtained by Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) on Mars and perform laboratory analysis to support observations. Additionally, she will provide mission-critical support for SHERLOC operations on the surface of Mars.