Mackenzie White

Mackenzie White is a planetary science Ph.D. candidate and science writer who has been working as a research assistant to Dr. Matthew Siegler at the Planetary Science Institute since January 2019.1 Her research focuses on reevaluating lunar geophysical properties at Apollo 15 and 17 sites.1 White is currently involved in several NASA missions, including LRO Diviner, Mars 2020, and InSight.1

As part of her work, White has:

1. Modeled a new method of heat flow estimation using RIMFAX ground penetrating radar data for the Mars 2020 Science Team.1
2. Modeled subsurface heat flow for the InSight Science Team.1
3. Investigated planetary analog ice cave deposits, lava tubes, and voids using geophysical methods for NASA GEODES.1

White is pursuing her Ph.D. in Geophysics at Southern Methodist University, working with Dr. Matthew Siegler on thermal modeling.1 She holds a B.A. in Plan II Honors and Geography, as well as a B.S. in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin.1

In addition to her research, White is involved in science communication. She was a 2022 AAAS Mass Media Fellow at Science Friday and has participated in various science writing and communication programs.1