JA Grier (born 1968) is an American

planetary scientist Planetary science (or more rarely, planetology) is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), celestial bodies (such as moons, asteroids, comets) and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes of their ...

who works as a senior scientist and senior education and communication specialist at the

Planetary Science Institute The Planetary Science Institute (PSI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute based in Tucson, Arizona, focusing on planetary science. , its director is Dr. Mark V. Sykes. PSI, along with Space Science Institute (SSI) Southwest Researc ...

. Grier's research has focused on the weathering of planets, moons, and asteroids, the age of impact ejecta on the lunar soil, the chemical composition of

meteorite A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or Natural satellite, moon. When the ...

s, and the existence of water on Mars. They are also active in science education.

Education and career

Grier completed a PhD in 1999 from the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...

with a dissertation ''Determining the ages of impact events: Multidisciplinary studies using remote sensing and sample analysis techniques'' supervised by

Alfred McEwen Alfred McEwen is a professor of planetary geology at the University of Arizona. McEwen is a member of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory where he directs the director of the Planetary Image Research Laboratory. He is a member of the imaging scien ...

. They started working for the Planetary Science Institute in 1999.

Publications

Grier is a coauthor of books including: *''Guide to the Universe: Inner Planets'' (with Andrew S. Rivkin, Greenwood Publishing, 2010) *''Airless Bodies of the Inner Solar System: Understanding the Process Affecting Rocky, Airless Surfaces'' (with Andrew S. Rivkin, Elsevier, 2019)

Recognition

Grier was named a Fellow of the

American Astronomical Society The American Astronomical Society (AAS, sometimes spoken as "double-A-S") is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC. The primary objective of the AAS is to promote the adv ...

in 2024, "for over two decades of commitment to advancing accessibility, inclusion, and diversity within the scientific community; and for important advances in planetary sciences, particularly in the area of lunar optical maturity effects". Minor planet 7807 Grier is named for Grier.

Personal life

Grier identifies as "queer/trans/non-binary". They have published numerous poems, essays, and short works of speculative fiction, including some under the pseudonym Bryce Ellicott.

References

External links

Home page and blog
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grier, J. A. 1968 births Living people 21st-century American astronomers LGBT astronomers American planetary scientists Non-binary scientists University of Arizona alumni Fellows of the American Astronomical Society American LGBT scientists