This geologist from the National University of Colombia and current Ph.D. candidate in planetary sciences at Purdue University in the U.S. investigates how minerals on planetary bodies without atmospheres are altered by micrometeoroids and solar wind. She’s currently investigating the first particles collected from an asteroid brought to Earth by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Her studies could be key to paving the way toward asteroid mining and achieving a deeper understanding of outer space.