Affiliation: Bay Space Environmental Analysis Institute (BAERI)
Division: Area Science and Astrobiology Division (ST)
Department: Planetary Techniques Department (STT)
E-mail: Katarina.m.yocum@nasa.gov
Telephone: (650) 604-0756
Dr. Yocum at present works within the ICEE Lab at NASA Ames Analysis heart learning the survival of microorganisms and biomolecules in varied area environments. Previous to conducting analysis at Ames, Dr. Yocum labored at NASA Goddard Area Flight Middle for five years the place she co-founded the SubLIME Lab. Dr. Yocum has a various background in area science analysis to help NASA planetary missions and expertise growth for future missions. A few of her work has concerned instrument design and testing of state-of-the-art spectrometers for orbiters, astronaut-deployed devices, and laboratory astrophysics.
Ph.D. in Bodily Chemistry, College of Wisconsin-Madison, 2022
B.S. Summa Cum Laude in Chemistry, Astronomy minor, Kutztown College of Pennsylvania, 2017
Instrument growth, Area weathering, In Situ Useful resource Utilization, Astrobiology, Astrochemistry, Life detection, Ocean worlds
Wilkins, Yocum, et al. (2025) “Photolysis and Sublimation Chemistry of Ammonium Cyanide with Relevance to Cometary Environments” Planet. Sci. J., 6, 10. [10.3847/PSJ/ad9a67]
Yocum et al. (2023) “Gasoline-phase Ortho-to-Para Ratio of Formaldehyde Shaped at Low Temperatures in Laboratory Ices” Astrophys. J. Lett. 958, L41. [10.3847/2041-8213/ad0bee]
Yocum et al. (2021) “Sublimation of Laboratory Ices Millimeter/submillimeter Experiment (SubLIME): Construction-specific Identifications of Merchandise from UV-photolyzed Methanol Ice” Astrophys J. 913, 61. [10.3847/1538-4357/abf14e]
Pavlov et al. (2021) “Fast radiolytic degradation of amino acids within the Martian shallow subsurface: Implications for the seek for “extinct” life” Astrobiology, 22, 10. [10.1089/ast.2021.0166]
Hudson et al. (2017) “Laboratory Investigations into the Spectra and Origin of Propylene Oxide, a Chiral Interstellar Molecule” Astrophys. J., 835, 225. [10.3847/1538-4357/835/2/225]
Astrochemistry Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award, Bodily Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS), 2023
Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD) Dissertation Prize, American Astronomical Society (AAS), 2023
NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) Fellowship, 2022-2024
KV & Sara Reddy Award in Bodily Chemistry, UW-Madison, 2022
John Mather Nobel Scholar, Nationwide Area Grant Basis, 2017-2020
Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry, Analytical Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS), 2017
William Laurita Chemistry Award, Kutztown College of Pennsylvania, 2017
