MICHAEL’S BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Michael Lucas joined FSI as an Assistant Scientist/Scholar in 2024. Mike is a planetary scientist that specializes in the composition and geologic evolution of the rocky bodies of the solar system. His expertise is in astronomical spectroscopy, meteoritics, petrology, and geochemistry. Mike’s research crosses traditional boundaries between geoscience and planetary astronomy by integrating “ground truth” meteorite analyses with spectral observations of asteroids using large ground-based telescopes to establish asteroid-meteorite connections. Mike also works with student researchers at FSI’s Exolith Lab to replicate the physical properties and geotechnical characteristics of the lunar surface to inform future human and robotic exploration activities on the Moon. He received a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Tennessee and a M.S. in Geology from the University of South Florida.