Katarina Yocum
Research Scientist
Affiliation: Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI)
Division: Space Science and Astrobiology Division (ST)
Branch: Planetary Systems Branch (STT)
Email: Katarina.m.yocum@nasa.gov
Phone: (650) 604-0756
Professional Biography
Dr. Yocum currently works in the ICEE Lab at NASA Ames Research center studying the survival of microorganisms and biomolecules in various space environments. Prior to conducting research at Ames, Dr. Yocum worked at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for 5 years where she co-founded the SubLIME Lab. Dr. Yocum has a diverse background in space science research to support NASA planetary missions and technology development for future missions. Some of her work has involved instrument design and testing of state-of-the-art spectrometers for orbiters, astronaut-deployed instruments, and laboratory astrophysics.
Education
Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2022
B.S. Summa Cum Laude in Chemistry, Astronomy minor, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 2017
Research Interests
Instrument development, Space weathering, In Situ Resource Utilization, Astrobiology, Astrochemistry, Life detection, Ocean worlds
Select Publications
Wilkins, Yocum, et al. (2025) “Photolysis and Sublimation Chemistry of Ammonium Cyanide with Relevance to Cometary Environments” Planet. Sci. J., 6, 10. [10.3847/PSJ/ad9a67]
Yocum et al. (2023) “Gas-phase Ortho-to-Para Ratio of Formaldehyde Formed at Low Temperatures in Laboratory Ices” Astrophys. J. Lett. 958, L41. [10.3847/2041-8213/ad0bee]
Yocum et al. (2021) “Sublimation of Laboratory Ices Millimeter/submillimeter Experiment (SubLIME): Structure-specific Identifications of Products from UV-photolyzed Methanol Ice” Astrophys J. 913, 61. [10.3847/1538-4357/abf14e]
Pavlov et al. (2021) “Rapid radiolytic degradation of amino acids in the Martian shallow subsurface: Implications for the search for “extinct” life” Astrobiology, 22, 10. [10.1089/ast.2021.0166]
Hudson et al. (2017) “Laboratory Investigations into the Spectra and Origin of Propylene Oxide, a Chiral Interstellar Molecule” Astrophys. J., 835, 225. [10.3847/1538-4357/835/2/225]
Professional Awards
Astrochemistry Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, Physical Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS), 2023
Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD) Dissertation Prize, American Astronomical Society (AAS), 2023
NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) Fellowship, 2022-2024
KV & Sara Reddy Award in Physical Chemistry, UW-Madison, 2022
John Mather Nobel Scholar, National Space Grant Foundation, 2017-2020
Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry, Analytical Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS), 2017
William Laurita Chemistry Award, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 2017