The Team

Raymond E. Arvidson | Co-Investigator

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in New Jersey.

How did you get interested in space exploration?
I grew up in the post-Sputnik era and found space fascinating.

What's your educational background?
I received my BA from Temple University and my PhD from Brown University, both in geology.

What are your hobbies?
I enjoy reading historical fiction about early settlement of the Midwest and Southwest.

What's your job on CRISM?
I am involved in precision retrieval of surface spectra using radiative transfer modeling, coordinating and analyzing observations from the Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity rovers and CRISM, and archiving in the Planetary Data System.

What excites you about exploring Mars?
I am very interested in new discoveries about ancient conditions and the possibility of life.

What advice would you give to someone like you who wants to get involved in space exploration?
My advice to anyone interested in space exploration is try your best and you will succeed.