Amanda R. Hendrix (May 21, 1968) is an American planetary scientist known for her pioneering studies of solar system bodies at ultraviolet wavelengths.[1][2] She is a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. Her research interests include moon and asteroid surface composition, space weathering effects and radiation products.[3] She is a co-investigator on the Cassini UVIS instrument,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] was a co-investigator on the Galileo UVS instrument, is a Participating Scientist on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter LAMP instrument[12] and is a Principal Investigator[13] on Hubble Space Telescope observing programs. As of 2019, she is also the co-lead of the NASA Roadmaps to Oceans World Group.[14]
Amanda R. Hendrix | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May 21, 1968 |
| Citizenship | US |
| Alma mater | California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo University of Colorado, Boulder |
| Known for | ultraviolet spectroscopy |
| Awards | JPL Lew Allen Award for Excellence, 2006 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | planetary science, solar system astronomy |
| Institutions | Planetary Science Institute Jet Propulsion Laboratory Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado |
| Doctoral advisor | Charles A. Barth |
Before moving to PSI, Hendrix worked for 12 years at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the Comets, Asteroids and Satellites Group. She was the Deputy Project Scientist[15] for the Cassini–Huygens mission (2010-2012).
Hendrix was a NASA astronaut candidate finalist in 2000.[16]
She received a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Since 2024 she has been the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets.[17]
Awards and honors
Hendrix was awarded the Lew Allen Award for Excellence in 2006.[18] Asteroid 6813 Amandahendrix was named in her honor.[19] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 25 September 2018 (M.P.C. 111797).[20]
She was named a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society in 2024, "for wide-ranging studies illuminating thermal, irradiative, and exogenic processing of various species on small body surfaces in the solar system; management of complex autonomous science systems; and devoted service to the planetary and space science communities".[21]
Media and Outreach
While at JPL, Hendrix wrote several blog posts on Cassini results[22] and participated in Cassini Scientist for a Day on several occasions.[23][24][25][26] Hendrix gave a Von Karman lecture (Enceladus: The newest wrinkle from Saturn's tiger-striped moon)[27] in Pasadena in 2008 and the Kepler lecture (Lunar Exploration: From the Apollo Era to the Future) at Mt. San Antonio College in 2013.[28] She has appeared on several episodes of the History Channel's The Universe[29] and the Discovery Channel's How the Universe Works. She spoke at the Griffith Observatory's Cassini Program in 2009[30] and has written for the Planetary Report[31]
Hendrix has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses at Cal Poly, Pomona, Mt. San Antonio College and University of Colorado Boulder.