GMiS seeks out and documents the world-class contributions of Hispanic professionals in STEM to serve as role models for the next generation of American engineers and scientists.
Davila has been with Ames since 2017, working as a research scientist in the exobiology branch, and is directly involved with the development of flight instruments to search for evidence of life beyond Earth. His contributions include the development of a one-meter auger drill designed to create samples of ice-bearing regolith on Mars. The drill has been successfully tested in the Antarctic dry valleys and in the Atacama desert.
Davila is a member of the Hispanic Advisory Committee for Employees, or HACE, at Ames. As member of the committee, he helps organize events that promote STEM education and NASA’s vision. Davila often gives public talks in middle and high schools, inspiring the next generation of explorers.
His community outreach extends globally. A significant portion of Davila’s fieldwork research occurs in northern Chile, where he often finds himself with the opportunity to share NASA’s mission and astrobiology research in local Chilean schools.