Kennda Lian Lynch
Staff Scientist
Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)
Universities Space Research Association
3600 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77058
Office: 281.486.2149
Email: klynch@lpi.usra.edu
EDUCATION
PhD, Colorado School of Mines, 2015, Environmental Science & Engineering
Dissertation Title: A geobiological investigation of the hypersaline sediments of Pilot Valley, Utah: A potential terrestrial analogue to ancient lake basins on Mars
Advisors: Dr. Junko Munakata Marr & Dr. John Spear
M.S. University of Colorado at Boulder, 2008, Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Advisor: Dr. David Klaus
Dual B.S. University of Illinois, 1999, General Engineering and Biology
Engineering Concentration: Space Life Sciences & Advanced Life Support
Areas of Professional expertise and interest
- Microbial ecology and bioenergetics of extreme environments
- Geomicrobiology of hypersaline sediments
- Environmental biotechnology & bio-resource engineering
- Planetary habitability, Mars analog research, and astrobiology
- Development of in situ instrumentation for robotic exploration
- Teaching, mentoring and STEM curriculum development (both collegiate and K-12)
- Science communication
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Georgia Institute of Technology/University of Montana
Postdoctoral Researcher, Rosenzweig Group 2016-Present
Jacobs Sverdrup/ Lockheed Martin Space Operations, Houston, TX
Senior Research Engineer, JSC Astrobiology Group, ARES 2003-2006
Project Engineer, International Space Station Program 2001-2003
Abbott Laboratories, Engineering Professional Development Program, North Chicago, IL
Metrology Engineer, Corporate Engineering Division 2000-2001
The Boeing Company, International Space Station Program, Houston, TX
Cooperative Education Student, Hardware/Software Integration 1997-1999
Honeywell, Micro Switch Division, Freeport, IL
Intern through University of Illinois Imprint Program 1993
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Graduate Researcher, Colorado School of Mines 2008-2015
Research Assistant, University of Colorado at Boulder 2006-2008
Team Leader: Undergraduate Microgravity Research Team University of Illinois 1998-1999
Space Life Science Training Program NASA Kennedy Space Center Summer 1995
Howard Hughes REU Student, Virginia Institute of Marine Science Summer 1994
TEACHING AND MENTORING EXPERIENCE
Mentor, SAGANet Virtual Mentoring Program 2013-present
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Co-Mentor, GaTech Undergrad Lauren Kimbrough 2017-present
Co-Mentor, GaTech Summer REU student Tyia Pratt Summer 2017
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO
Mentor, CSM undergrads Chris Matthews & Nohemi Almaraz 2013-2014
Teaching Fellow for Bechtel K-5 Educational Initiative 2011-2013
Laboratory Instructor for BELS 311 (Gen. Bio. Laboratory 1) 2010-2011
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Graduate Mentor for SMART Summer Program 2007-2008
Teaching Assistant for ASTR/GEOL 3300 (Extraterrestrial Life) Fall 2007
Co-Faculty Mentor for ASEN 4018/4028 Senior Project Design 2006-2007
NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Mentor, JSC Co-ops: Madhurita Sengupta & Laura Sarmiento 2005
Mentor, HS Student Jennifer Hsu, NASA SHARP Program Summer 2004
University of Illinois, College of Engineering, Urbana-Champaign, IL
Engineering 100 Program Director 1997-1999
Engineering 100 Learning Assistant 1996
Teaching Assistant for GE 221 (Intro. to Engineering Design) Fall 1998
Teaching Assistant for GE 199 (Intro. to General Engineering 1996-1997
Kennda Lynch, PhD 