Pieces of the asteroid Bennu, collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, are being studied at Brown as part of an effort to better understand the solar system’s early history and the origins of materials necessary for life on Earth.
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Department of Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences
Ralph Milliken
Associate Professor
Lincoln Field
Room 302
Room 302
Research Interests
Planetary Geoscience, Earth History
Biography
My research focuses on exploring the geology of planetary surfaces and how we can use remote sensing methods (e.g., satellite and rover-based data) to address geologic problems. Specific interests include understanding the distribution and role of water in the evolution of our solar system, understanding the extent to which reflectance spectroscopy can be used to quantify mineral and volatile abundances in geologic materials, and investigating the sedimentary rock record of Mars. Researchers in my group integrate experiments, theory, and field/spacecraft data to address these questions. I am currently a science team member for the Mars Curiosity rover, and other projects include mapping water on the Moon, laboratory studies of meteorites, and field studies of potential Mars analogs.
Recent News
Brown Daily Herald
Silk, film, plexiglass: How one Brown student printed the Moon with sunlight
Logan Tullai ’25 oversaw the creation of large-scale cyanotype prints using two rolls of NASA Lunar Orbiter film, decommissioned from the repository of NASA data and images once housed within DEEPS. “I thought it would be cool to use the sun’s UV to make pictures of the moon,” Tullai said.
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For their AP environmental science and biology field trip, Barrington High School students visited the Blackstone River to learn about Rhode Island's history of pollution. The trip was supported by the RI NASA Space Grant. “We want to get students outside the classroom beyond the textbooks and internet articles they read about,” said Ralph Milliken, Program Director and DEEPS Associate Professor. “So they can understand the interplay on human society and the natural environment.”
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With Brown students and scientists as their hosts, enthusiasts from across campus and the local area convened for an eclipse viewing event on Monday, April 8.
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Astronomers and enthusiasts across campus are gearing up for the big eclipse, with educational and viewing events at Brown and trips to prime watch spots in the path of totality.
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A new paper co-authored by Associate Professor Ralph Milliken and Senior Research Scientist Takahiro Hiroi examines the Formation and evolution of carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu using samples returned by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft (JAXA mission). DEEPS alumn Seiji Sugita also contributed to the research.
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