Lisette Elena Melendez.

microscopist | focused on returned sample analysis from near-Earth carbonaceous asteroids

“Stars. Or rather, the drains of heaven – waiting. Little holes. Little centuries opening just enough for us to slip through.”
— Ocean Vuong, "Night Sky with Exit Wounds"

abstract.

Analyzing asteroid Ryugu particles using the Quanta 3D FEG focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) at the NASA JSC Astromaterials Curation Center.

Hello, and welcome to my professional website! My name is Lisette E. Melendez, and I use she/they pronouns. I am currently a second-year Planetary Sciences PhD student at the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University, working with Dr. Michelle Thompson.

My research focuses on understanding how the surfaces of carbon-rich asteroids are altered as they travel through the harsh environment of interplanetary space. Some of the places that I have interned in the past include the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, NASA Ames Research Center, and Brown University on a wide variety of projects, from sample-return missions to digital archeology of ancient cultures. Check out my research page for more details, and feel free to contact me with any questions.

I am also a strong proponent of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in STEM and have contributed to multiple initiatives that promote making our science community a place where people can bring forth their whole, unassimilated identity to and feel welcome.

Composition.

  • A Context Camera image of a circular depression in a dark toned unit on the surface of Mars.

    Introduction.

    A brief summary of who I am as a person.

    About Me
  • Picture of some mountains under white clouds in a desert-like environment.

    Research and Methodology.

    An overview of the various research projects I’ve conducted thus far. Includes Martian craters, lunar geodesy, and Paleozoic echinoderms?

    Research
  • Image of train on the countryside.

    Curriculum Vitae.

    What I’ve been up to lately, in a fancy professional format. Also includes a PDF for ease of access.

    CV

What People Are Saying

 

“You’ll like it there, it has a lot of rocks.”

— Hadil El Chehouri, University of Michigan School of Dentistry

“What’s it like being a NERD?”

— Jayce Jones, Florida International University