NASA in the house: our PI’s mentor and collaborator Dr. Janice Bishop visits the Yeşilbaş Lab!
Our PI Merve is together with her PhD supervisor Prof. Jean-François Boily, and her postdoc advisor, Dr. Janice Bishop.
NASA comes to Umeå: connecting two chapters of one scientific journey in a single week!
It was a true pleasure to host Dr. Janice Bishop, who is PI Merve's NASA mentor and long-standing collaborator, from the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center, for a department seminar and research visit here in Umeå! A week that brought together Mars science, mineralogy, spectroscopy, and inspiring discussions on planetary environments. 🌍🔬🪐
In her seminar, Janice shared her inspiring work on spectroscopy, mineralogy, clays, and planetary surface processes. Her visit also marked the kickoff of our Swedish National Space Agency (Rymdstyrelsen) funded project on December 2025, where we mapped out the next steps in our collaboration on clay minerals, spectral signatures, and planetary environments.
We also spent time in the lab and toured several analytical facilities at KBC, Umeå University, opening up valuable discussions on how the available infrastructure can support the upcoming work in the project — exactly the kind of cross-disciplinary environment that makes KBC such a special place to do this science.
On a personal note, it was deeply meaningful for Merve to have both her PhD supervisor and her NASA mentor here together, connecting different chapters of one scientific journey in a single moment. 😊
From the laboratory to Mars, the Yeşilbaş Lab is excited to continue exploring planetary environments through minerals and spectra! 🚀💫
