Dustin Heese


Dustin Heese
  • MS Student
he/him/his

Contact Info

Slawson Hall, Room 170

Biography

Advisor: Dr. C.P. Marshall

Education

B.S. in Geology, University of Kansas, 2022
A.S. in General Sciences, Johnson County Community College, 2020

Research

Dustin is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Raman Spectroscopy Laboratory. His research utilizes Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEM/BSE/EDS, in conjunction with petrographic techniques, to investigate oolitic hematite. The goal of these investigations are to elucidate the mineralogy, interpret the paragenesis, detect biosignatures, and assess biosignature preservation. This research has implications for investigations of postulated deposits on Mars, understanding the interplay between ancient sedimentary deposits and mineralogy, and to understand mineral relationships for economic geology.

•This research is supported by NASA's Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) Program.



•Research Interests:

-Biosignature detection

-Origin of life

-Astrobiology

-Mineralogy

-Paleontology

Selected Publications

•Heese, D.D., Dowling, A.R., Goldstein, R.H., Marshall, C.P. (2024). Using Raman spectroscopy to investigate crystallinity variations, mineralogical diversity, and sp2 carbonaceous material in oolitic hematite. The Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (GSA Connects 2024), September 22-25, 2024, Anaheim, CA.

•Romine, C.E., Pryor, B.N., Heese, D.D., Marshall, C.P. (2024). Elucidating nanoparticle size-dependence effects on the Raman spectrum of hematite. The Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (GSA Connects 2024), September 22-25, 2024, Anaheim, CA.

•Heese, D.D., Dowling, A.R., Goldstein, R.H., Marshall, C.P. (2024). Assessment of biosignature preservation and detection in oolitic hematite. Astrobiology Graduate Conference (AbGradCon24), June 10-14, 2024, Cornell University.

Service

•The Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, Alpha Chapter

-President & Historian, 2024-2025

-Vice President & Historian, 2023-2024

-Treasurer, 2021-2022