New NASA Astronaut: Lauren Edgar

Bio
Lauren Edgar, born in Washington, D.C., considers Sammamish, Washington, her hometown. She is married and enjoys backpacking, running, educational outreach, yoga, kayaking, and outdoor activities with her dog.

Edgar graduated from Skyline High School in Sammamish and earned a bachelor’s degree in Earth sciences, modified with engineering sciences, from Dartmouth College in 2007. She obtained a master’s degree in geology in 2009 and a doctorate in geology in 2013 from the California Institute of Technology.

An experienced geologist, she has studied the Earth, Moon, and Mars through remote sensing and field techniques to support human and robotic exploration of the solar system.

Background
Edgar worked as a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, before her selection. She led the Terrestrial Analogs for Research and Geologic Exploration Training program, involving fieldwork in Iceland, Arizona, New Mexico, and Antarctica as analogs for missions to the Moon and Mars.

Her NASA experience includes undergraduate research assignments, internships, participation in the NASA Academy, Space Grant recipient, and flying agency-funded research through NASA’s Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program. At the time of selection, she served as deputy principal investigator for the Artemis III Geology Team, facilitating geology training for NASA engineers, project managers, astronauts, and mission teams.