Dr. Dina M. Bower is an astrobiologist - biomineralogist interested in the intersection and evolution of microbes and minerals. She uses geochemical techniques like Raman spectroscopy and elemental analysis to characterize a variety of geologic materials from modern and ancient terrestrial environments, meteorites, and laboratory synthesized analogs. She has expertise in biosignature detection in ancient Earth rocks that contain microfossils or carbonaceous materials, experimentally induced biominerals, and modern terrestrial rocks and mineral deposits. In particular, her research focuses on mineral deposits in lava tube environments and how they record environmental conditions and biogeochemical processes. Dr. Bower also develops different types of Raman spectroscopy technologies and instrumentation for in situ planetary body exploration and tests the utility of portable instruments in analog field sites around the world.

Research Areas:

Solar System

Instrumentation