Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, California, Dr. Alvarado started his academic journey at Cal State University, Long Beach, where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physics. Dr. Alvarado pursued a Biophysics Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, working under the guidance of Professors Juan de Pablo and Andrew Ferguson. His doctoral research focused on understanding the dynamics and assembly of the chromatin fiber through physics and machine learning approaches. Dr. Alvarado currently serves as a Research Scientist at the Bioscience Research Branch of NASA Ames Research Center, where he helps develop AI/ML models to analyze NASA’s extensive space biology experiments. These models are crucial in understanding radiation risks and ensuring the safety and success of long-duration spaceflights, contributing significantly to the advancement of space exploration. Outside the lab, he is an avid runner and DIYer.

Dr. Jessica Weber is a Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) research scientist in the Origins and Habitability Lab (OHL). She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from MIT in 2019 with Dr. Tim Jamison and a B.S. in Chemistry from University of Chicago in 2014. Her graduate school research focused on organometallic catalysis and pharmaceutical synthesis. At JPL, Jessica focuses on applying synthetic chemistry techniques to address questions about the origins of life and habitability of the early Earth and other worlds. She experimentally explores mineral-organic interactions and reactivity related to prebiotic chemistry on ocean and terrestrial worlds. Jessica is a founding member of both the Network for Ocean Worlds early career group, Future Leaders of Ocean Worlds (FLOW), and the VEXAG affiliated Venus Early Career group.