Kristen Norberg — the URECA researcher of the month for January — is a junior double-majoring in geology and earth and space sciences. She has been participating in research since September 2024 in the Vibrational Spectroscopy Laboratory under the mentorship of Timothy Glotch, professor and chair of the Department of Geosciences, and PhD candidate Eashan Das.
Norberg has learned how to perform geomorphological analysis and mass estimations of Martian chloride salt-bearing deposits and how to process satellite imagery into salt abundance maps; she also uses GIS to overlay abundance maps onto digital terrain models for analysis.
“It is so rewarding to know that I’m able to contribute to a field that I find so fascinating, and that I have the opportunity to really be a part of the scientific community,” Norberg said.
Recently, Norberg was selected to give an oral presentation at the American Geophysical Union annual fall meeting in New Orleans on “Geomorphological Analysis of Martian Chloride Salt-Bearing Deposits.” She is a co-author on a paper published in JGR: Planets (March 2025), and her long-term plan is to pursue a PhD in planetary geology or astrobiology.
On campus, Norberg is a member of the University Chorale and the Astronomy Club. She also serves as a teaching assistant and received the Department of Geosciences’ Oliver Schaeffer Endowed Memorial Scholarship.
Read the full interview with URECA Director Karen Kernan.
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