NASA Astrobiology Program

2025 NASA Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy (NASA-DARES) Task Force 1 Selections

By Keith Cowing
Press Release
May 22, 2025
2025 NASA Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy (NASA-DARES) Task Force 1 Selections
NASA-DARES 2025 Task Force

Announcement: NASA-DARES Task Force 1 Selections
Number: NNH25ZDA002L
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Short URL: https://go.nasa.gov/ABStrategyRFI  

The NASA Astrobiology Program is pleased to announce its selections for Task Force 1 of the NASA Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy (NASA-DARES). Fifteen (15) members of Task Force 1 were selected from a highly competitive call which received more than 100 applications. The members are as follows:

Group Lead: Steven D. Vance, Ph.D. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech

Executive Secretary: Katherine Dzurilla, Ph.D. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech

Panelists

  • Laura Rodriguez, Ph.D. Lunar and Planetary Institute
  • Tyler “Ty” Robinson, Ph.D. University of Arizona
  • Aaron Regberg, Ph.D. NASA Johnson Space Center
  • Tiffany Kataria, Ph.D. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech
  • Saurja DasGupta, Ph.D. University of Notre Dame
  • Paul Burke, Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
  • Paul Byrne, Ph.D. Washington University in St. Louis
  • William “Billy” Brazelton, Ph.D. University of Utah
  • Tanja Bosak, Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • E. Jordan Bimm, Ph.D. University of Chicago
  • Aaron Berliner, Ph.D. Weill Cornell Medicine
  • Anamaria Berea, Ph.D. George Mason University
  • Laura Marie “Laurie” Barge, Ph.D. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech

Task Force 1 is charged with reviewing more than 120 community-submitted responses to the
NASA-DARES Request for Information (RFI), synthesizing key findings and identifying
thematic research and exploration focus areas for presentation and discussion at the NASADARES RFI Findings Workshop, to be held in Washington, D.C. May 29-30, 2025.

Dr. David Grinspoon
Senior Scientist for Astrobiology Strategy
Science Mission Directorate
Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters

Dr. Rachel L. Harris
NASA Postdoctoral Management Program Fellow
Science Mission Directorate
Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters

Please email questions concerning NASA-DARES to [email protected] to reach both POCs.

Astrobiology

Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Station Payload manager/space biologist, Away Teams, Journalist, Lapsed climber, Synaesthete, Na’Vi-Jedi-Freman-Buddhist-mix, ASL, Devon Island and Everest Base Camp veteran, (he/him) 🖖🏻