Connections Series: Exploring the Solar System's "Third Zone"
5:30 PM
Reception
6:00 PM
Presentation
We look forward to your attendance at the Spring 2016 Connections Series event, "Exploring the Solar System's 'Third Zone': NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt" with Professor William B. McKinnon.
Professor William B. McKinnon joined the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in 1982. Since then he has helped build the department to a position of prominence in the planetary sciences in the United States.
A recognized leader in his field, Dr. McKinnon’s own research focuses on the structure, origin, evolution, tectonics, and bombardment histories of outer planet satellites and bodies in Kuiper belt beyond (such as Pluto), as well as fundamentals of impact cratering throughout the Solar System.
Dr. McKinnon is a Science Team member on NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper belt, where he serves as a Deputy Lead for the Geology and Geophysics/Imaging (GGI) Theme Team. He is also a science team member for ESA’s upcoming Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission and NASA’s upcoming Europa Multiple Flyby mission.
Dr. McKinnon is a past Chair of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society, and past President of the Planetary Sciences section of the American Geophysical Union. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America (GSA) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and in 2014 he received the G.K. Gilbert Award from the Planetary Geology Division of the GSA for outstanding contributions to the solution of fundamental problems in planetary geology. Asteroid 9526 "Billmckinnon" is named in his honor.
Dr. McKinnon holds a bachelor of science degree from MIT and a master of science and Ph.D in Planetary Sciences and Geophysics from Caltech.
This event is complimentary and open to the public, but space is limited.