Biography

John P. Grotzinger, Ph.D. has been a director since September 2026. Dr. Grotzinger has over 40 years of experience in geology, geobiology, and planetary science. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and currently serves as the Harold Brown Professor of Geology at the California Institute of Technology, a position he has held since 2021. Previously, Dr. Grotzinger served as Division Chair of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology from 2014 to 2024 and as Chief Scientist of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover mission from 2007 to 2014. He has served on the advisory board of Halliburton Labs since 2020 and previously served on the Shell Science Advisory Board from 2014 to 2019. Dr. Grotzinger received a Bachelor of Science in geology from Hobart College in 1979, a Master of Science in geology from the University of Montana in 1981 and a Ph.D. in geology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1985.