Anna Gülcher

Earth and planetary scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and California Institute of Technology

About

I am a computational Earth and planetary scientist interested in planetary evolution and (in)habitability. My research focuses on – but is not restricted to – the interior and tectonic processes that shape rocky planets such as Venus and Earth. I am involved in several space missions dedicated to unravel the mysteries of our neighbouring planet Venus. This includes my roles as a scientific collaborator to NASA’s VERITAS mission and ESA’s EnVision mission

I am further passionate about project and team management, science communication, teaching, and diversity. I have a track record of organisational skills and professional outreach experience. I previously served several roles in the Geodynamics Division of the European Geosciences Union and am currently on NASA’s Venus Exploration and Analysis Group Steering Committee. I am committed to foster a more open, diverse, and inclusive community for scientists. 

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Contact info

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anna.gulcher@jpl.nasa.gov

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4900 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, US

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anna.gulcher@caltech.edu

California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., South Mudd Rm 266, Pasadena, CA 91125, US

Find out more

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My research interests, past, current, or future projects, and collaborations

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Publications, (keynote) talks, conference contributions, software, and more

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Outreach articles/activities, science communication, and professional service roles

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Find a collection of graphics, figures, and maps made to communicate my research

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Women in science/STEM, communities, science visualisation and software

Academic / research experience

  • Postdoctoral researcher | Planetary scientist01.2023 - present

Principal Investigator on research project dedicated to unravelling the mysteries behind Venus’ tectonics and volcanism, awarded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. 

  • Postdoctoral researcher in Geophysics11.2022 - 12.2022
  • PhD researcher in Geophysics | Planetary Sciences11.2018 - 10.2022

PhD dissertation: Computational modeling of Earth’s interior evolution through chemical and rheological heterogeneity in the lower mantle

  • MSc. in Geophysics09.2016 - 08.2018

MSc thesis: 3D computational modeling of the tectonic and magmatic processes that shape the so-called ‘corona’ structures on the surface of Venus. 

  • BSc. in Earth Sciences09.2013 - 07.2016

Dept. of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands

BSc thesis: Paleomagnetic fieldwork and laboratory experiments on lava rocks from Pico Island, The Azores, to deduce Earth’s ancient geomagnetic field. 

My first day at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory!

PhD celebration

Relieved and happy after my PhD defense in October 2022, ETH Zürich, Switzerland

MSc graduation

Receiving my MSc diploma at my graduation, Oct 2018, ETH Zurich

Highlights

Awards and grants

  • SNSF postdoctoral research fellowshipGrant

$140.000 Fellowship grant

Postdoc.Mobility grant awarded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) in 2022 to be the Principal Investigator on a two-year long research project (2023-2025) at the California Institute of Technology and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (USA).

  • 'Fix the Leaky Pipeline' women-in-STEM group fundingGrant

$2000 Grant by ETH Zürich for women-in-STEM peer-mentoring group

Grant awarded for the Planetary Equity group within ETH’s career-building program for women in science (2021-2022). Theme: ‘Self-development as a pathway to an equal scientific career’. 

  • Outstanding Student Presentation AwardAward

European Geoscience Union award

Award from the Geodynamics Division for an outstanding performance as a young scientist during the EGU General Assembly 2019 in Vienna, Austria. 

  • ETH Zürich medal for best MSc research thesisAward

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology award

Awarded for the best M.Sc. thesis research of the whole Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, in the graduation year 2018.

  • Excellence Master ScholarshipScholarship

$36.000 Scholarship by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

Full scholarship for two-year MSc degree in Geophysics at ETH Zürich, Switzerland (2016-2018), based on previous academic excellency.

  • TU Delft research grantGrant

$10.000 Research grant by Foundation “Stichting Molengraaff Fonds” (TU Delft)

Research fund awarded for my BSc thesis research project and related paleomagnetic field work on the Azores, Portugal.

VERITAS space mission

I attended the 2024 VERITAS Science Team meeting in New Orleans

 

Documentary interview

On-camera interview for a History Channel documentary about planets and beyond, stay tuned!

Venus missions

The selection of three Venus missions by ESA and NASA in 2021 were a major influence on my career path