Romy D Hanna

Romy D Hanna
Research Associate, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences

Email: romy@jsg.utexas.edu
Work: +1 512 471 0260
Office: JGB 1.120CC
Mailcode: C1100

My research focuses on primitive, undifferentiated material found in carbonaceous chondrites and on small bodies (asteroids), that represents the earliest formed material in the Solar System. My aim is to advance our understanding of the formation and evolution (deformation, aqueous alteration, and thermal metamorphism) of this primitive chondritic material and how it can be remotely characterized on small bodies.

I use a wide variety of analytical and remote sensing techniques such as electron microbeam [including electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)], X-ray computed tomography (XCT) and visible to near infrared (VISNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectroscopy. I am a Participating Scientist on the OSIRIS-REx mission to carbonaceous asteroid Bennu where I use the VISNIR and TIR spectral instruments to assess the geologic history of Bennu.

In the High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography Facility (UTCT) at the Jackson School, I am the PI of the NASA Planetary Science Enabling Facilities (PSEF) award to UTCT to enable and support NASA planetary scientists who use our facility. I also develop software related to the correction and processing of XCT data from the two XCT instruments in our lab. Finally, I am working to take XCT into space through collaboration on instrument development and landed missions.

Areas of Expertise

carbonaceous chondrites, planetary geology, remote sensing, VISNIR and TIR spectroscopy, X-ray computed tomography (CT), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), 3D image analysis and processing, scientific software development


Pallas-Ryder Award for Best Student Paper in Planetary Sciences - Joint Award from the Meteoritical Society and the Planetary Geology Division of GSA (2015)

Gordon A. McKay Award for Best Student Oral Presentation - Meteoritical Society (2014)

NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) - NASA (2013 - 2016)

Marshall Endowed Presidential Scholarship - Jackson School of Geosiences (2013)

Jackson School First Year Graduate Fellowship - Jackson School of Geosciences (2011)

MSA American Mineralogist Undergraduate Award - Mineralogical Society of America (1997)