Anastasia Yanchilina

Dr. Anastasia Yanchilina received her Bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Science and Meteorology at Creighton University in Omaha, NE.  After doing multiple summer undergraduate research internships at University of Alaska Fairbanks, NCAR, and WHOI she decided to pursue graduate studies in paleoceanography and marine isotope geochemistry at Columbia University in NYC, where she received two masters degrees and a Ph.D.   Following the end of graduate study, she spent a few months at Australia National University in Canberra doing independent research and with a love for warm climate and new culture, went to do postdoctoral work in Israel at the Weizmann Institute of Science.  There she became an expert in formation of marine silicate minerals and subsequently became interested in silicates and other minerals relevant to astrobiology and seeking out evidence of any prior and current life, on Mars and other bodies within our solar system.  She then landed her first full time job at a local startup, Impossible Sensing, in St. Louis MO where her day to day work involves supporting operations for Mars 2020 Perseverance rover and studying ancient Martian geology with focus on whether the planet was ever habitable.  Outside of work, Dr. Yanchilina is an active athlete racing road and gravel bikes, enjoys climbing and skiing, in and outside of St. Louis.