{"id":3615,"date":"2020-06-01T08:31:30","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T15:31:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nau.edu\/astronomy-and-planetary-science\/?p=3615"},"modified":"2020-12-01T12:27:12","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T19:27:12","slug":"with-prestigious-nsf-fellowship-nau-grad-student-tackling-the-question-of-life-on-mars-by-way-of-antarctica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/with-prestigious-nsf-fellowship-nau-grad-student-tackling-the-question-of-life-on-mars-by-way-of-antarctica\/","title":{"rendered":"With prestigious NSF fellowship, NAU grad student tackling the question of life on Mars by way of Antarctica"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"Schuyler<\/p>\n

\n

Editor\u2019s note: Four NAU students were selected for the National Science Foundation\u2019s Graduate Research Fellowship Program. NAU News will profile them over the coming weeks.<\/em><\/p>\n

Meltwater springs in Antarctica may contain the best Earth-bound answers for life on Mars. As to what that answer is\u2014well, Schuyler Borges<\/strong> is looking for it.<\/p>\n

Borges, a doctoral student in the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science at Northern Arizona University, is leading a project comparing rock coating structures in Antarctica that look similar to structures in hot springs all over the world and are comparable to features on Mars. Researchers have argued that the Martian features may be evidence for life on the Red Planet since microorganisms facilitate the production of similar hot spring structures on Earth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s pretty cool work because it shows we are still trying to understand the relationship between biology and geology on Earth and whether relationships between the two indicate anything about potential life on other planets,\u201d Borges said.<\/p>\n

This project got a huge boost in April when Borges received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP), a program designed to support graduate students\u2019 research in STEM disciplines. They are one of four NAU graduate students selected for the GRFP this year.<\/p>\n

Borges came to NAU for graduate school after reaching out to professors Mark Salvatore <\/strong>and Christopher Edwards<\/strong>, both of whom are participating scientists on NASA\u2019s Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover. They didn\u2019t go to college with the plan of grad school, though; Borges spent a summer doing Martian research with several women in STEM fields who encouraged them to go to grad school, suggesting Salvatore and Edwards as initial contacts.<\/p>\n

Two years later, here they are.<\/p>\n

\u201cSchuyler is one of the hardest working students I know,\u201d said Salvatore, now Borges\u2019 mentor. \u201cThey are enthusiastic and always eager to take on new challenges. I\u2019m perhaps most impressed by Schuyler\u2019s willingness to step out of their comfort zone and to work with experts in different fields. They are quick to recognize the applicability of their work to a wide range of other scientific topics and to collaborate with folks who they think might benefit from our work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Martian research<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Borges is working on two major research projects. Their dissertation work focuses on using Antarctic life to understand how to identify life on cold, rocky planets, including Mars but also exoplanets with a similar geologic makeup. Last year, they went to Antarctica with Salvatore to study how communities of microbial organisms that live in glacier-fed streams can be detected from space\u2014no small feat, given the size of microbes.<\/p>\n

They used satellite imagery to differentiate between the communities and remotely detect them from orbit, which is uniquely possible in Antarctica. Other parts of the world have too much vegetation to make such research possible. This enables scientists to test the efficacy of tools and processes on Earth before applying them to other planets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe environment in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica is similar to Mars as it is really dry, exposed to lots of UV radiation and is extremely cold,\u201d Borges said. \u201cThe life that exists in Antarctica are some of the most extreme organisms on Earth. This makes them good candidates for potential life that could exist on other planets.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to Borges\u2019 work with Salvatore, they are collaborating with astrobiologist Tyler Robinson<\/strong>, an assistant professor in the department. His work focuses on finding life on exoplanets, which orbit stars outside of our solar system.<\/p>\n

But, as interesting as that research is, it\u2019s not all Borges is doing at NAU, nor is it what caught the NSF\u2019s attention. The research into rock coating structures, which they discovered in Antarctica with Salvatore, focuses on understanding the biogeochemical formation of these Antarctic structures and comparing them with those found at hot springs throughout the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis work has implications for the field of geobiology as well as astrobiology because if these Antarctic structures are forming the same way as those in hot springs, they will be the first of their kind to be identified in a cold, non-hydrothermal environment on Earth,\u201d they said. \u201cThis would indicate that we don\u2019t entirely know everything about the environment, both biological and abiological, that favors the existence and preservation of these structures on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just that. So far, these types of structures have been interpreted to be present within a Martian hot spring. If the Antarctic structures form the same as others in hot springs, a cold environmental analog for the features found on Mars would be discovered. This work could mean that, in addition to hot springs, cold environments could be habitable for life and potentially form these structures on Mars.<\/p>\n

Or, Borges could find that the Antarctic features aren\u2019t associated with life, in which case they argue the Antarctic structures are a false positive analog for life on Mars. As such, they would change the conversation about the potential for life on Earth\u2019s nearest neighbor.<\/p>\n

\"Schuyler<\/a>The GRFP<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Their first semester at NAU, Borges enrolled in Robinson\u2019s Writing a Fellowship Proposal course. It\u2019s Robinson\u2019s fourth year teaching it, and three of his students have received the GRFP and two have received honorable mentions. Both the course material and the feedback they got from classmates helped Borges as they applied for the fellowship, which is a drawn-out, labor-intensive process.<\/p>\n

Despite that, Borges enjoyed the process\u2014sort of.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re devoting a ridiculous amount of time to these proposals that are so selective you\u2019re like, \u2018This is a waste of time because there\u2019s no way I\u2019m going to get this.\u2019 But you\u2019re also spending a lot of time showing yourself how far you\u2019ve come and what huge things you\u2019ve already accomplished as you\u2019re developing and owning your dissertation,\u201d they said. \u201cThe GRFP is challenging to write because you have to spend a significant portion of the proposal writing about yourself and how you\u2019ve overcome obstacles that make you uniquely qualified to conduct the research you\u2019re proposing.\u201d<\/p>\n

While many grant applications focus primarily on the work, only asking the applicants about their qualifications to do that research, the GRFP focuses on the researcher, asking for a three-page personal statement and only a two-page research statement. Writing the personal statement was empowering, even cathartic, Borges said. They\u2019d spent several months prior struggling through a number of challenges, and writing, editing and rewriting that personal statement was a regular reminder of how resilient they were and just how much they were accomplishing every day.<\/p>\n

It also required them to briefly but fully explain their research, which is great practice for writing a prospectus, a necessary part of every doctorate. Being able to concisely explain their research is a critical skill, and Borges was grateful for the opportunity to do so.<\/p>\n

Because of the skills gained just from applying, Borges recommended every grad student apply for a fellowship, even those who think getting it is a long shot. They offered some advice as well.<\/p>\n

Start planning early. <\/strong>This allows applicants to become familiar with the proposal and good proposal writing, as well as plenty of time to revise, rewrite and seek help and feedback.<\/p>\n

Attend mock review panels.<\/strong> Professors and graduate students from the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science volunteer as grant readers to simulate the fellowship review process for applicants, including inviting students to sit in on the mock review panels themselves. This experience helped Borges to see trends in proposals and identify strengths and weaknesses in their and others\u2019 work.<\/p>\n

Talk with professors about the proposal review process. <\/strong>Many professors have served on proposal review committees and can explain how the process works and what types of proposals get funded. Students also can ask for samples of successful proposals as a guide.<\/p>\n

Seek out and incorporate as much feedback as possible<\/strong>. Committee members may respond differently to data presentation, proposal structure and explanations. Proposals where most of the committee agrees that the applicant successfully addresses important questions are more likely to get funded. Thus, asking for as much feedback from a diverse group, and incorporating that feedback, significantly helps.<\/p>\n

Next steps and the importance of outreach<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Borges is fascinated with Mars, but they have another, concurrent plan for their future in science: making it a more open and encouraging field for diverse groups. After facing gender discrimination, they set a goal to continually discuss social inequities within STEM and work to overcome those for current and future scientists.<\/p>\n

\u201cScientists often think we don\u2019t need to be talking or focusing on social issues because that\u2019s unrelated to the subjects we teach or the work we do, and that\u2019s fundamentally untrue,\u201d they said. \u201cThe science we teach is taught from a colonized lens, and we often neglect to mention any of the contributions people of color have made to our fields.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to be able to create safe STEM learning environments and be a face of change in academia by supporting the success of those with marginalized identities. Also, as a queer person, I haven\u2019t had very many people to look up to in science, as my gender identity is often excluded in \u2018women in [insert STEM field here]\u2019 spaces. I want to be a voice and advocate for LGBTQ+ people in STEM and create systemic changes to enable those least privileged within our community to be able to become the doctors, health care providers and researchers we so desperately need for our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to that advocacy, Borges would like to do a postdoc at NASA and eventually become a professor, but they\u2019re open to different possibilities when that time comes. Right now, the focus is on research. The GRFP offers researchers a lot of flexibility in their work; while most grants have a specific timeline in which investigators have to get results, this one allows researchers who face major obstacles\u2014like, say, a global pandemic that upsets travel, education and many of the factors that go into research\u2014to adjust their projects and go in a new direction as needed. It also allows them to search for more answers beyond the initial research questions.<\/p>\n

Borges isn\u2019t there yet, but it\u2019s nice to have the option.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis flexibility is quite nice, as this is often not the case for others whose funding goes toward the project and not the scientist,\u201d they said. \u201cIn other instances, your research path is more laid out for you, and you don\u2019t always get to be able to influence it as easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more about Borges\u2019 work at their blog.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Northern<\/a><\/p>\n

Heidi Toth | NAU Communications
\n(928) 523-8737 | heidi.toth@nau.edu<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Source: With prestigious NSF fellowship, NAU grad student tackling the question of life on Mars by way of Antarctica \u2013 NAU News<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: Four NAU students were selected for the National Science Foundation\u2019s Graduate Research Fellowship Program. NAU News will profile them over the coming weeks. Meltwater springs in Antarctica may contain the best Earth-bound answers for life on Mars. As to what that answer is\u2014well, Schuyler Borges is looking for it. Borges, a doctoral student […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,187],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-astronomy","category-astronomy-and-planetary-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3615"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3862,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3615\/revisions\/3862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}