Curriculum Vitae E. M.

Palmer 1/3

ELIZABETH M. PALMER, PH.D.

Work: 3737 Watt Way, Los Angeles, California, U.S. 90089-0271
E-mail: elizabeth.m.palmer@usc.edu
Website: http://empalmer.weebly.com

EDUCATION
• 2018 Doctor of Philosophy, Geological & Environmental Sciences
Western Michigan University (WMU), Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
• 2014 Master of Science, Geophysics & Space Physics
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• 2011 Bachelor of Science (cum laude), Astronomy
Minors: Physics, Spanish
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.

EMPLOYMENT & RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

• 2021 – Present Fulbright U.S. Scholar
Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
Project Title: “Characterizing Groundwater Dynamics in Qatar by Radar Remote Sensing”
• 2019 – Present Postdoctoral Scholar: Research Associate
University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering - Electrophysics
Mentors: Dr. Essam Heggy (USC/NASA JPL), Dr. Mahta Moghaddam (USC)
• 2015 – 2018 Ph.D. Graduate Student Researcher
Western Michigan University (WMU), Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences
Dissertation: “Exploring Potential Water-Ice Occurrence on Asteroid 4 Vesta Using Orbital Radar
Observations by the Dawn Mission”
Advisors: Dr. Essam Heggy (USC/NASA JPL), Dr. William A. Sauck (WMU)
• Summer 2017 Visiting Ph.D. Student Researcher
Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha, Qatar
Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute
Principal Investigator: Dr. Essam Heggy (USC/NASA JPL)
• 2011 – 2015 NASA/JPL Visiting Graduate Student Researcher
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, U.S.
Radar Science Group
Advisors: Dr. Essam Heggy (NASA JPL), Dr. Christopher Russell (UCLA)
• Summer 2010 NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics (PGG) Research Intern
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, U.S.
Radar Science Group
Mentor: Dr. Essam Heggy (NASA JPL)
• Summer 2009 NASA/APL Research Intern
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL), Laurel, Maryland, U.S.
Space Department, Atmospheric and Ionospheric Remote Sensing Group
Mentor: Dr. Jeng-Hwa (Sam) Yee (JHU/APL)

PUBLICATIONS (refereed)
• P Sirri, EM Palmer & E Heggy (in press). “Processing and Analysis for Radio Science Experiments (PARSE):
Graphical User Interface for Bistatic Radar.” The Planetary Science Journal (Manuscript #AAS33761).
• E Heggy, J Normand, EM Palmer & AZ Abotalib (2022). “Exploring the Nature of Buried Linear Features in the
Qatar Peninsula: Archaeological and Paleoclimatic Implications.” ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and
Remote Sensing 183, 210-227. doi:10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2021.10.007.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, T Letertre & P Sabouroux (2021). “Exploring Ceres’ Unusual Regolith Porosity and Its
Implications for Volatile Retention.” The Planetary Science Journal 2(5): 182. doi:10.3847/PSJ/ac0b3e.
• E Heggy, EM Palmer, TW Thompson, BJ Thomson & GW Patterson (2020). “Bulk composition of regolith fines
on lunar crater floors: Initial investigation by LRO/Mini-RF.” Earth & Planetary Science Letters 541(116274):1-
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10. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116274.
• EM Palmer & E Heggy (2020). “Bistatic Radar Occultations of Planetary Surfaces.” IEEE Geoscience and Remote
Sensing Letters 17(5):804-808. doi:10.1109/LGRS.2019.2931310.
• E Heggy, EM Palmer, W Kofman, A Hérique & MR El-Maarry (2019). “Post-Rendezvous Radar Properties of
Comet 67P/CG from the Rosetta Mission: Understanding Future Earth-Based Radar Observations and the
Dynamical Evolution of Comets.” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 489:1667-1683.
doi:10.1093/mnras/stz2174.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy & W Kofman (2017). “Orbital Bistatic Radar Observations of Asteroid Vesta by the Dawn
Mission.” Nature Communications 8(409):1-11. doi:10.1038/s41467-017-00434-6.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, MT Capria & F Tosi (2015). “Dielectric Properties of Vesta’s Surface as Constrained by
Dawn VIR Observations.” Icarus 262:93-101. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.031.
• E Heggy, EM Palmer, WW Kofman, SM Clifford, K Righter & A Hérique (2012). “Radar properties of comets:
Parametric dielectric modeling of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.” Icarus 221(2):925-939.
doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.09.023.
• V Reddy, L LeCorre, DP O’Brian [and 24 others, including EM Palmer] (2012). “Delivery of dark material to Vesta
via carbonaceous chondritic impacts.” Icarus 221(2):544-559. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.08.011.
• T Fong, M Bualat, M Deans [and 32 others, including EM Palmer] (2010). “Robotic Follow-Up for Human
Exploration.” AIAA SPACE 2010 Conference and Exposition, No. 2010-8605. Anaheim, California, U.S.:
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. doi:10.2514/6.2010-8605.

ABSTRACTS & PRESENTATIONS (non-refereed)

AGU (American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting); DPS (American Astronomical Society Division for Planetary Sciences); EPSC
(European Planetary Science Congress); GSA (Geological Society of America, Annual Meeting); LPSC (Lunar and Planetary Science
Conference); LRO (NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter); URSI (International Union of Radio Science) GASS (General Assembly
and Scientific Symposium)

• EM Palmer & E Heggy (2021). Talk: “Systematically Characterizing Planetary Surface Roughness Using
Spacecraft Radio Communications Antennas,” URSI GASS 2021 Abstract CHF-PM1-1, Rome, Italy.
• E Heggy, EM Palmer, BJ Thomson, TW Thompson & GW Patterson (2020). Poster: “Evidence for Fe-Ti Oxide
Enrichment in the Lunar Subsurface from the LRO Mini-RF Observations,” AGU Abstract P023-0005 (virtual
meeting).
• P Sirri, EM Palmer & E Heggy (2020). Poster: “Developing a User Interface for the Processing and Analysis of
Deep Space Network Planetary Radio Science Data,” AGU Abstract P023-0004 (virtual meeting).
• EM Palmer & E Heggy (2020). Poster: “Evidence for high porosity in the top few meters of Asteroid Ceres’
desiccated regolith,” AGU Abstract P023-0006 (virtual meeting).
• EM Palmer & E Heggy (2020). Invited Speaker. “Ice on Vesta and Ceres as Seen by Radar,” Icy Worlds
Collaboration & Exchange (ICE) Seminar, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
(virtual event).
• EM Palmer (2020). Invited Speaker. “Asteroids, Comets & Impacts,” Qatar National Library’s Springer/Nature
Science Book Forum, Doha, Qatar (virtual event).
• P Sirri, EM Palmer & E Heggy (2019). Talk: “Developing a User Interface for the Processing and Analysis of
Planetary Radio Science Data: Implications for Orbital Forward-Scatter Bistatic Radar Observations of
Planetary Surfaces,” AGU Abstract P34A-11, San Francisco, California, U.S.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy & GW Patterson (2019). Poster: “The Importance of Understanding Surface Roughness for
Human Exploration of the Moon: Volatile Mapping and Assessing Surface Trafficability,” AGU Abstract
P51D-3406, San Francisco, California, U.S.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy & GW Patterson (2019). Talk: “Volatile Retention on the Lunar Poles and on Asteroid Vesta
as Derived from Radar Surface Roughness Observations,” EPSC-DPS Abstract #1819-2, Geneva, Switzerland.
• E Heggy, EM Palmer, TW Thompson, BJ Thomson & GW Patterson (2019). Talk: “Dielectric Properties of Lunar
Crater Fills as Assessed from LRO/Mini-RF and Chandrayaan-1/Mini-SAR,” LRO Science Team Meeting,
Southern Methodist University-in-Taos, Taos, New Mexico, U.S.
• E Heggy, EM Palmer, TW Thompson, BJ Thomson & GW Patterson (2019). Poster: “Dielectric Constraints on Ice
Detectability in Permanently Shadowed Lunar Crater Fills as Assessed from LRO/Mini-RF and Chandrayaan-
1/Mini-SAR Radar Observations,” LPSC Abstract #3022, The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.
• EM Palmer & E Heggy (2018). Talk: “Characterizing Planetary Surface Roughness and Potential Volatile
Presence Using Opportunistic Orbital Bistatic Radar Observations,” AGU Abstract P53B-07, Washington,
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D.C., U.S.
• EM Palmer & E Heggy (2018). Talk: “Assessing Surface Roughness Variability and Potential Volatile Occurrence
on Moons and Small-Bodies Using Opportunistic Forward-Scatter Bistatic Radar Experiments,” GSA Abstract
No. 238-2, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
• E Heggy, EM Palmer, A Hérique & W Kofman (2018). Poster: “Dielectric properties of comet 67P/CG and
implications for the 2021 radar observations of its next closest approach,” EPSC Abstract #640, Berlin,
Germany.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy & W Kofman (2017). Poster: “Evidence for ground-ice occurrence on asteroid Vesta using
Dawn bistatic radar observations,” AGU Abstract P43A-2873, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy & W Kofman (2016). Talk: “Understanding Volatile Occurrence on Vesta Using Bistatic
Radar and GRaND Observations by the Dawn Mission,” AGU Abstract P44A-07, San Francisco, California,
U.S.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, W Kofman, MT Capria & F Tosi (2016). Poster: “Modeling the Dielectric Properties of
Comet 67P/CG Based on Observations by Rosetta’s CONSERT and VIRTIS Instruments,” COMETS, Toulouse,
France.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, W Kofman & G Scabbia (2016). Poster: “Comparing Regolith Surface Roughness on
Comet 67P/CG and Asteroid Vesta: Implications for Radar Observations by the Rosetta and Dawn Missions,”
COMETS, Toulouse, France.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, W Kofman & M Moghaddam (2016). Poster: “Characterizing Vesta’s Surface Roughness
Using High-Incidence Bistatic Radar Observations by the Dawn Communications Antenna,” LPSC Abstract
#3036, The Woodlands, TX.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, W Kofman & M Moghaddam (2015). Poster: “Comparing Vesta’s Surface Roughness to the
Moon Using Bistatic Radar Observations by the Dawn Mission,” AGU Abstract P53E-2194, San Francisco,
California, U.S.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, MT Capria, F Tosi, W Kofman & CT Russell (2014). Poster: “Exploring Vesta’s Surface
Roughness and Dielectric Properties Using VIR Spectrometer and Bistatic Radar Observations by the Dawn
Mission,” AGU Abstract P51C-3954, San Francisco, California, U.S.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, MT Capria, F Tosi, W Kofman & CT Russell (2013). Talk: “Radar Characteristics of Vesta’s
Polar Regions Using Visible & Infrared Mapping Spectrometer and Bistatic Radar Observations by the Dawn
Mission,” AGU Abstract P43D-08, San Francisco, California, U.S.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, MT Capria, F Tosi & CT Russell (2013). Poster: “Dielectric Properties of the Surface of
Asteroid Vesta from Dawn VIR Thermal Observations,” LPSC Abstract #2476, The Woodlands, TX.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, MT Capria, SW Asmar, CA Raymond & CT Russell (2012). Poster: “Constraining
Ambiguities on Volatile Content in the Vestan Regolith through Dielectric Inversion,” AGU Abstract P41B-
1893, San Francisco, California, U.S.
• EM Palmer, E Heggy, CT Russell, SW Asmar & CA Raymond (2012). Poster: “Exploring Surface and Subsurface
Volatile Presence on Vesta Using a Bistatic Radar Experiment,” LPSC Abstract #2685, The Woodlands, Texas,
U.S.

AWARDS & HONORS

CWRU (Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.); UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles,
California, U.S.); USC (University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, U.S.); WMU (Western Michigan University,
Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.)

2021-2022, Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award, “Qatar: Water, Energy, and the Environment at HBKU”
2021, Young Scientist Award, International Union of Radio Science: General Assembly and Scientific Symposium
2018, National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, WMU Chapter
2018, WMU All-University Graduate Research and Creative Scholars Award
2018, WMU Graduate Student Travel Grant
2018, WMU Graduate Student Research Grant
2016, USC Visiting Scholar, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering
2015, WMU Graduate Student Teaching Assistantship, Department of Geosciences
2012-2013, California Space Grant for Graduate Research
2011-2012, UCLA Earth and Space Sciences Department Scholarship
2011-2012, UCLA Chancellor’s Prize
2010-2011, First Place Finalists, Saint-Gobain/CWRU Student Engineering Design Competition
2007-2011, CWRU Provost’s Scholarship