Steven Sholes

Steven Sholes is an accomplished Operations Systems Engineer and Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Science Liaison at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where responsibilities have included advancing Mars exploration initiatives since January 2021. As Director of The Sholesonian, an e-museum established over a decade ago, Steven has focused on outreach events and multimedia online exhibits. Previous roles include Affiliate Researcher and Educator at the University of Washington, where dual-title PhD research centered on Mars habitability involved extensive data modeling and analysis of atmospheric chemistry and geology. Early experiences as a Research Intern at the University of Arkansas and a Student Research Associate at Cornell University provided foundational expertise in planetary surface geology and remote sensing technologies. Steven's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy from Cornell University and a PhD in Earth and Space Sciences with a focus on Astrobiology from the University of Washington.