Melissa Rice

Melissa Rice is an Associate Professor of planetary science and geology at Western Washington University. Her research focuses on planetary geomorphology, lunar science, and the geological evolution of Mars, with a particular emphasis on interpreting sedimentary and volcanic processes through orbital and rover-based remote sensing. As a member of the NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover science team, her recent work investigates the fluvio-lacustrine environment preserved in Jezero Crater's inlet channel, Neretva Vallis, and characterizes the composition and provenance of boulder-rich fan deposits using multispectral observations. Her latest publications also examine rock coatings as evidence for late surface alteration and the potential detection of a biosignature on the Martian surface.