Mrs. Keri Bean

Projects and Research Interests

I mostly work on projects relating to the Martian atmosphere, but occasionally have worked on projects involving astronomy, geophysics, and engineering.

Mars Exploration Rovers

I completed an undergraduate thesis and soon a master's thesis on measuring nighttime atmospheric opacity and searching for trends related to dust settling and cloud formation.

Phoenix Mars Lander

I worked at the Science Operations Center at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ for most of summer 2008. I did operational duties such as telemetry analysis, image processing and calibration, educational and public outreach, and more. My main research focus involved Surface Stereo Imager observations of clouds and dust devils. I also searched for lightning detection by using data from the pressure sensors.

Mars Science Laboratory

I currently work on the Curiosity mission. I am a member of the Malin Space Science Systems science team and the Curiosity environment theme group. My operational roles are Mastcam Payload Uplink Lead, Environment Theme Group Lead, and Environment Theme Group Mini Keeper of the Plan. My responsibilities include coordinating the environment theme group members, inputting environment theme group observations into our planning software, and refining Mastcam observations submitted by the science team. I spent the first 90 sols at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. I now work remotely from Texas A&M. My research interests in the mission include Phobos and Deimos transits, nighttime optical depth, and dust devils.

Hubble Space Telescope

I did photometry in the BVI filters of M81 (Bode's Galaxy). I worked on finding Cepheid Variable stars as part of the Hubble Key Project to refine Hubble' constant. I worked with Dr. Lucas Macri on this project for the summer and fall of 2009.

Moon Tasks

I was the team leader for the Texas A&M University submission into the NASA LaRC-sponsored Moon Tasks competition in spring 2009. My team designed a stereoscopic HD video camera to be placed on the new generation of manned lunar rovers as part of Project Constellation. Our team won 3rd place and was sent on a trip in fall 2009 to see Desert-RATS testing near Flagstaff, AZ.

Bighorn Arch Seismic Experiment (BASE)

I was a student participant in the BASE experiment over summer 2010. I helped to deploy seismometers around the Bighorn mountains in Wyoming. I also went on geologic field trips to Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Custer State Park, Devil's Tower National Monument, and more.

Space Technology

I was the team leader for the Texas A&M University submission into the NASA LaRC-sponsored Space Technology competition (similar to the Moon Tasks competition). My team designed a heads-up display and camera system to install into EVA suits to help astronauts pick better samples, provide maps of the terrain, and other useful tasks. Our team won 1st place.

Selected Publications

•  Bean, K., M. Lemmon, 2008. A Quick Look at the Samples Obtained and Analyzed During the Phoenix Mission. SpaceVision.

• Bean, K., N. Hall, M. Lemmon, 2008. A Quick Comparison of Dust Devils from MER and Phoenix. SpaceVision.

• Ellehoj, M., P. Taylor, H. Gunnlaugsson, B. Gheynani, L. Drube, C. von Holstein-Rathlou, J. Whiteway, K. Bean, M. Lemmon, M. Madsen, D. Fisher, R. Volpe, and P. Smith,2008. Phoenix Mars Lander: Vortices and Dust Devils at the Landing Site. AGU Fall 2008 Meeting.

• Bean, K., G. Atkinson, 2009. Lunar-Gravity Testing of P-POD Based Constellation EVA Camera Mounting System. Microgravity University proposal.

• Bean, K., M. Lemmon, et al., 2009. Surface Stereo Imager Observations of Dust Devils at the Phoenix Landing Site. 40^th LPSC.

• Ellehoj, M., H. Gunnlaugsson, P. Taylor, B. Gheynani, J. Whiteway, M. Lemmon, K. Bean, L. Tamppari, L. Drube, C. von Holstein-Rathlou, M. Madsen, D. Fisher, and P. Smith, 2009. Dust Devils and Vortices at the Phoenix Landing Site on Mars. 40^th LPSC.

• Ellehoj, M., H.P. Gunnlaugsson, K.M. Bean, B.A. Cantor, L. Drube, D. Fisher, B.T. Gheynani, A-M. Harri, C. von Holstein-Rathlou, H. Kahanpaa, M. T. Lemmon, M.B. Madsen, M.C. Malin, J. Polkko, P. Smith, L.K. Tamppari, P.A. Taylor, W. Weng, and J. Whiteway, 2009. Convective Vorticies and Dust Devils at the Phoenix Mars Mission landing site.Journal of Geophysical Research.

• Holstein-Rathlou, C., H.P. Gunnlaugsson, J.P. Merrison, K.M. Bean, B.A. Cantor, J.A. Davis, R. Davy, M.D. Ellehoj, W. Goetz, S.F. Hviid, C.F. Lange, S.E. Larsen, M. Lemmon, M.B. Madsen, M. Malin, J. Moores, P. Nornberg, P. Smith, L. Tamppari, and P.A. Taylor, 2009. Winds at the Phoenix Landing Site. Journal of Geophysical Research.

• Bean, K., G. Atkinson, T. Saultz, B. Stern, D. Delao, M. Requa, C. Mollere-Rodriguez, B. Young, M. Lemmon, and T. Pollock, 2009. Video Camera System for the Lunar Electric Rover to Document Lunar Extravehicular Activities. Moon Work proposal. Won 3rd place.
  

• Bean, K., M. Lemmon, 2010. Measuring Nighttime Atmospheric Opacity Using Images from the Mars Exploration Rovers. Undergraduate Research Scholars proposal and thesis.

• Bean, K., M. Lemmon, 2010. Nighttime Optical Depth Patterns from the Mars Exploration Rovers. 41^st LPSC.

• Holstein-Rathlou, C., H.P. Gunnlaugsson, J.P. Merrison, P. Nornberg, M.D. Ellehoj, K.M. Bean, M.T. Lemmon, L. Tamppari, P. Smith, and the Phoenix Science Team, 2010. Time-Dependent Dust Accumulation on the Mars Phoenix Wind Indicator. 41^st LPSC.

• Bean, K., A. Azocar, D. Charles, W. Davis, C. Mollere-Rodriguez, B. Moore, C. Pannier, A. Probe, C. Runco, M. Lemmon, 2011. A Heads-up Display for Extra-vehicular Activity Suits. Space Technology proposal. Won 1st place.

Activities

2007-2008 school year

• Member of Texas A&M Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society
• Lead forecaster for Texas Aggie Storm Chasers

2008-2009 school year

• Director of educational outreach for the national Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
• Election committee member for the national Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
• SpaceVision 2008 planning committee member
• College program coordinator for the International Year of Astronomy
• Treasurer for Texas A&M Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
• Social chair for Texas Aggie Storm Chasers
• Forecast coordinator for Texas Aggie Storm Chasers
• Team leader for Texas Aggie Storm Chasers
• Social chair for the Texas A&M Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society
• Summer 2009 Friday afternoon radio broadcast meteorologist for Texas A&M Weather Broadcasting
• Member of the Women in Planetary Science

2009-2010 school year

• Vice president of the Texas A&M Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
• Member of Texas A&M Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society
• Member of the College of Geosciences Undergraduate Recruitment Committee
• Designated Undergraduate Research Scholar
• Member of the Women in Planetary Science

2010-2011 school year

• President of the Texas A&M Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
• Student member of the American Geophysical Union
• Student member of the American Meterological Society
• Member of the Women in Planetary Science

2011-2012 school year

• President of the Texas A&M Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
• Student member of the American Geophysical Union
• Student member of the American Meterological Society
• Member of the Women in Planetary Science

2012-2013 school year

• Student member of the American Geophysical Union
• Student member of the American Meterological Society
• Member of the Women in Planetary Science
• Member of the Texas A&M Students for the Exploration and Development of Space