New and exciting activities in the
McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences
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Recent News From McDonnell Center Fellows
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Exploring a Metallic World
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Planetary scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton is the Principal Investigator of NASA's Psyche mission and currently serves as the Director of the University of California, Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory. With a resume that boasts vice-presidential duties, professorships, and notable directorships, Elkins-Tanton has left an indelible mark on the field of space exploration.
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The Psyche mission, launched on October 13, 2023, promises to be humanity's first exploration of a metallic asteroid. The mission targets one of the most fascinating objects in the main asteroid belt, asteroid (16) Psyche, a potentially metal-rich remnant from the early solar system. Measuring about 130 miles (210 kilometers) in diameter and located about three times farther away from the Sun than Earth, (16) Psyche is hypothesized to be the exposed core of a planetesimal or protoplanet.
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Celebrating International Observe the Moon Night
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Workshop on Bennu and Ryugu
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Recent Publications by McDonnell Center Fellows
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Adams, C. B., Buckley, J. H., Hughes, Z., et al. (2025). HAWC, VERITAS, Fermi-LAT, and XMM-Newton follow-up observations of the unidentified ultra-high-energy Gamma-Ray Source LHAASO J2108+5157. The Astrophysical Journal, 991(2), 192.
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Podgorný, J., Krawczynski, H., Hu, K., Rodriguez Cavero, N., et al. (2025). Recovery of the X-ray polarisation of Swift J1727.8−1613 after the soft-to-hard spectral transition (Corrigendum). Astronomy and Astrophysics, 701, C2.
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McDonnell Center Fellows in the News
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Searching for Circumbinary Planets and Initial Results from the Indian X-ray Polarimeter
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Astrophysics & Space Sciences Seminar
Ekrem Esmer, WashU
Ketan Rikame, Raman Research Institute, India
TODAY, Friday, October 10
9:00am, Compton 241
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Diffusive Isotope Fractionation In Minerals: Implications for the Thermal and Chemical Evolution of Planetary Bodies
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EEPS Brown Bag
Zhihua Xiong
WashU
TODAY, Friday, October 10
12:00pm, Rudolph 301
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Connecting the Lab to Cosmos: Probing the Densest Matter in the Universe
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Physics Colloquium
Jaki Noronha-Hostler
University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
Wednesday, October 15
2:30pm, Crow 204
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From Orbit to Outcrop: Unveiling Mars and Earth’s Geologic Secrets with Remote Sensing and Surface Techniques
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EEPS Colloquium
Stefano Nerozzi
University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
Thursday, October 16
11:30am, Rudolph 301
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Thermal Resummation, Dark Matter, and Baryogenesis: Higgs-Portal Windows into the Early Universe
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Theory Seminar
Subhojit Roy
Argonne National Lab
Thursday, October 16
3:00pm, Compton 241
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New Theoretical Insights into Black Hole Coronae
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Astrophysics & Space Sciences Seminar
Navin Sridhar
Stanford University
Friday, October 17
9:00am, Compton 241
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| St. Louis Astronomical Society October Meeting
Paul Byrne
WashU
Friday, October 17
7:30pm, McDonnell 162
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Save the Dete
2025 Robert M. Walker Distinguished Lecture
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Lindy Elkins-Tanton is a planetary scientist and the Principal Investigator of the NASA Psyche mission. She is Director of the Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley. Her research concerns the formation and evolution of rocky planets; volcanic activity and extinctions on Earth; as well as on effective teams and future-facing educational practices. Asteroid (8252) Elkins-Tanton is named for her, as is the mineral elkinstantonite. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
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WashU Research Matters - Share Your Story!
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| Researchers, we want to hear from you! WashU has launched a new social media series, showcasing the impact of federal research funding on WashU, our region, and our country.
Personal stories about the impact of research helps our policymakers understand why strong federal support is essential for the WashU community and an investment in our nation’s future. Contact Alison Verbeck or share your story with WashU Advocates.
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Compiled and edited by Alison Verbeck. Please send any contributions to alison@wustl.edu.
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