Ben Weiss, MIT Earth & Planetary Sciences: “Understanding the Origin of Metal Worlds with the NASA Psyche Mission”

Ben Weiss

  Robert R. Shrock Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MIT

Ben studies the formation, evolution, and history of planets and small bodies, with a particular focus on planetary magnetism and habitability. He conducts laboratory analyses of planetary samples and in situ spacecraft exploration of solar system bodies to understand the history of planetary physical and chemical processes. Ben directs the MIT Planetary Magnetism Laboratory, which develops and applies high sensitivity, high resolution techniques to analyze the magnetization in rock samples collected from asteroids, the Moon, and Earth. He is  also Deputy Principal Investigator and Magnetometry Investigation Lead on the NASA Psyche mission, Co-Investigator on the NASA Mars Perseverance rover and Europa Clipper missions, and Co-Investigator on the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission.