Dr. David A. Kring
Principal Scientist
Lunar and Planetary Institute
3600 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77058
Email: [email protected]
Indiana University, B.S. with Honors, Geology, 1984
Harvard University, Ph.D., Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1989
Professional Experience
- Principal Scientist, USRA Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas, 2018–present
- Senior Staff Scientist, USRA Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas, 2009–2018
- Visiting Scientist for the Lunar Exploration Initiative, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas, 2006–2009
- Director, NASA Space Imagery Center, Department of Planetary Sciences, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 2000–2006
- Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 2001–2006
- Associate Professor, Department of Planetary Sciences, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 1999–2006
- Founding Director, University of Arizona Meteorite Recovery Program, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, Arizona, 1992–2006
- Senior Research Associate, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 1993–1999
- Research Associate, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 1988–1993
- Research Assistant, Department of Geological Sciences, Harvard University, and Division of Planetary Sciences, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1984–1988
- Intern, Lunar and Planetary Institute, and the Division of Solar System Exploration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, 1983
Professional Committees and Responsibilities
- Member, Penrose Medal Committee, Geological Society of America, 2024–2027
- Lead, EVA Simulations at Meteor Crater, 2023
- Trainer, 2019 Class of NASA Astronauts, Field Studies of Impact Cratered Surfaces, 2023
- Member, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Committee, 2023
- Organizer, Field Training and Research Program in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, 2022, 2023
- Lead, EVA Simulations at Meteor Crater, 2021
- Organizer and Trainer, Space Flight Resource Management Training for Science Operations Program, 2020–2021
- Member, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Committee, 2020
- Trainer, 2017 Class of NASA and CSA Astronauts, Field Studies of Impact Cratered Surfaces, 2019
- Co-organizer, Yellowstone National Park astrobiology field trip, LPI's First Billion Years - Habitability Topical Conference, 2019
- Convener, Bombardment: Shaping Planetary Surfaces and Their Environments, Part of the LPI First Billion Years Initiative, 2018
- Member, Scientific Organizing Committee, Lunar Science Targets for Landed Missions Workshop, 2017–2018
- Organizer, Meteor Crater and Northern Arizona Geology field trip, 80th Annual Meteoritical Society Meeting, 2017
- Member, Advancing Science of the Moon Special Action Team, Lunar Exploration Analysis Group, 2017
- Member, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Committee, 2017
- Member, Geologic Astronaut Training Special Action Team, Lunar Exploration Analysis Group, 2016
- Science Party (as Impact Petrologist), IODP-ICDP Mission Specific Platform Expedition 364, Chicxulub Impact Crater, 2015–2017
- Convener, Lunar Polar Regolith Workshop, 2015
- Co-organizer, Field Training and Research Program at the Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field, 2015
- Director, Exploration Science Summer Intern Program, 2015–present
- Co-convener, Workshop on Early Solar System Bombardment III, 2015
- Co-organizer, Meteor Crater field trip, 46th Meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS), American Astronomical Society, 2014
- Member, Executive Council, NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, 2013–present
- Trainer, 2013 Class of NASA astronauts, 2013–2014
- Co-convener, Large Meteorite Impacts and Planetary Evolution V Conference, 2013
- Member, Lunar Sample Return Science Definition Team, European Space Agency, 2013–2015
- Member, Nominations Committee, Meteoritical Society, 2013.
- Member, Group III, Strategic Knowledge Gaps for Moon First Human Exploration Scenario Specific Action Team, Lunar Exploration Analysis Group, 2012
- Co-organizer, Short Course and Field School at the Sudbury Impact Structure, 2012, 2013, and 2017
- Trainer, Senior NASA astronauts, Impact Cratering and Volcanism, 2012
- Member, Organizing Committee, Second Conference on the Lunar Highlands Crust, 2012
- Co-convener, Workshop on Early Solar System Bombardment II, 2012
- Science Leader (SciLead), Mission Control Center, simulations of missions in the Orion crew vehicle and a Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV) to a near-Earth asteroid, Black Point Lava Flow (Arizona), Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2011
- Founder, Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2022
- Science Leader (SciLead), mission control center, 28-day lunar mission simulation with crew in two Lunar Electric Rovers, San Francisco Volcanic Field (Arizona), NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2010
- Lunar (Malapert Massif, south polar region) and simulated mission (San Francisco Volcanic Field, Arizona) traverse designer, 28-day mission concept, NASA Lunar Surface Systems and Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2010
- Member, Organizing Committee, Nördlingen 2010: The Ries Crater, the Moon, and the Future of Human Space Exploration, 2010
- Trainer, 2009 Class of NASA, CSA, and JAXA astronauts, 2009–2010
- Principal Investigator, LPI-JSC Center for Lunar Science and Exploration, 2009–present
- Member, Executive Council, NASA Lunar Science Institute, 2009–2013
- Science Leader (SciLead), mission control center, 14-day lunar mission simulation with crew in the Lunar Electric Rover, Black Point Lava Flow (Arizona), NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2009
- Traverse Designer and Science Leader (SciLead), mission control center, 14-day lunar mission simulation with crew in the Lunar Electric Rover, Black Point Lava Flow (Arizona), NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2009
- Member, Lunar Surface Scenarios Specific Action Team, Lunar Exploration Analysis Group, 2009
- Member, Lunar Exploration Roadmap Specific Action Team, Lunar Exploration Analysis Group, 2008–present
- Co-convener: Workshop on Modeling Martian Hydrous Environments, 2009
- Member, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Committee, 2009
- Science Leader (SciLead) and science CAPCOM (SciCom), mission control center, 1- to 3-day lunar mission simulations, Black Point Lava Flow (Arizona), NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2008
- Traverse Designer, Pre-simulation Phase, Unpressurized Rover (Chariot) and Small Pressurized Rover (Lunar Electric Rover) for crew, Black Point Lava Flow (Arizona), NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2008
- Science Leader (SciLead), Science Back Room, K-10 robotic precursor mission simulation to future crew landing site, Black Point Lava Flow (Arizona), NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2008
- Science Leader (SciLead), Science Back Room, K-10 robotic rover and Chariot unpressurized crew rover, Moses Lake Field Test, NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), 2008
- Co-convener: Workshop on Early Solar System Impact Bombardment, 2008
- Director, Lunar Exploration Summer Intern Program, 2008–2013
- Organizer, Meteor Crater field trip, 70th Annual Meteoritical Society Meeting, 2007
- Co-Chair, Lunar Reconnaissance Lander spacecraft design team, 2006–2007
- Chair, Science Team, Polar Surface Probe lunar spacecraft design team, 2006–2007
- Chair, Science Team, Polar Express lunar spacecraft design team, 2005–2007
- Chair, Science Team, Lunar Surface Explorer spacecraft design team, 2005–2007
- Member, Science Team, and Chair of E/PO Team, Sampling Ancient Mars spacecraft design team, 2006
- Chair, Eugene M. and Carolyn S. Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award Committee, Geological Society of America, 1999–present
- Scientific Advisor, The Barringer Crater Company, 2000–present
- Chair, Science Review Committee, Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research, 2001–present
- Faculty Member, Global Change Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, 2004–2006
- Chair, Barringer Award Committee, The Meteoritical Society, 2003
- Member, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Committee, 2003
- Member, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Committee, 2001
- Chair, G.K. Gilbert Award Committee, Planetary Geology Division, Geological Society of America, 2001
- Member, Science Team, Urey, Mars Scout-class spacecraft design team, 2002
- Deputy Treasurer, Meteoritical Society, 2000–2002
- Faculty Member, Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, University of Arizona, 1999–2006
- Science Team Member and Co-Investigator, Chicxulub Scientific Drilling Project, 1999–2002
- Member, Barringer Award Committee, The Meteoritical Society, 1999–2002
- Member, Geological Society of America Joint Technical Program Committee, 1999–2000
- Member, Meteorite Nomenclature Committee, 1999–2004
- Chair, Planetary Geology Division, Geological Society of America, 1999–2000
- 1st Vice-Chair, Planetary Geology Division, Geological Society of America, 1998-1999
- Invited Expert, Advanced Measurements Systems for Astrobiology Workshop, Astrobiology Roadmap Project, 1998
- Chair, Stephen E. Dwornik Planetary Geosciences Student Award Panel, Geological Society of America, 1998
- Member, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Committee, 1998-1999
- Member, Science Team, Rockhound 2001 Mars Surveyor Rover Mission design team, 1997
- Member, Science Team, TEGA (Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer), MVACS (Mars Volatile and Climate Surveyor), Mars Polar Lander mission, 1997–1999
- 2nd Vice-Chair, Planetary Geology Division, Geological Society of America, 1997–1998
- Member, Sample Quarantine, Containment, and Preservation Team, Sample Return Technology Workshop, Roadmap Project, New Millennium Program, 1996
- Member, Science Team, CONSR (Comet Nucleus Sample Return) Discovery-class spacecraft design team, 1996
- Member, Science Team, NEAP (Near-Earth Asteroid Prospector) Discovery-class spacecraft design team, 1996
- Member, Science Working Group, IMP+ (Imager for Mars Pathfinder Plus) instrument team for the SAMI (Surface and Atmosphere of Mars Integrated payload) Mars ‘98 spacecraft design team, 1995
- Chair, Precise Chemical Analysis of Solids Working Group, Planetary Surface Instrument Workshop, 1995
- Invited Expert, Primordial Bodies Sample Return Working Group, 1993
- Member, Science Working Group, REAAct (Rendezvous with Earth-Approaching Asteroids) Discovery-class spacecraft design team, 1992
- Member, International Chicxulub Crater Consortium, 1991–1992
Awards and Honors
- NASA Michael J. Wargo Exploration Science Award, 2018
- Best Guidebook of the Year Award (for Guidebook to the Geology of Barringer Meteorite Crater….), Geoscience Information Society, 2017
- Ronald Greeley Award for Distinguished Service, Planetary Geology Division, Geological Society of America, 2012
- NASA Group Achievement Award, 2011
- Elected a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, 2009
- Named a Fellow of the Meteoritical Society, 2004
- Honored with asteroid 8391 being named Kring, 2000
- American Geophysical Union’s Editors' Citation for Excellence in Refereeing for the Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, 1993
- NASA Graduate Student Research Award; 1986, 1987, and 1988
- Sigma Xi, 1984
- Research Award, Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Indiana University, 1984
- Research Honors, College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University, 1984
- Sigma Gamma Epsilon, Geology Honorary, 1983
- Sigma Pi Sigma, Physics Honorary, 1983
- Westinghouse Science Honors, 1980
Current Projects
- Expedition 364 — Chicxulub Impact Crater, a joint IODP-ICDP Mission Specific Platform Expedition
- The Chicxulub impact event and the mass extinction at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary
- The Chicxulub Scientific Drilling Project, International Continental Drilling Program
- The environmental consequences of impact cratering processes
- Martian meteorites and implications for the geologic evolution of Mars
- Collisional evolution of ordinary chondrite parent bodies and the nature of asteroid regoliths
- Impact-generated hydrothermal systems and implications for the origin and evolution of life
- Was there a lunar cataclysm? The Impact-Origin of Life Hypothesis
- Meteoritic evidence for the origin and evolution of the solar nebula
- Formation of Peak-ring and Multi-ring Impact Basins