Lecture: Space Rocks, Open Science & AI

You are invited to Monell Auditorium for a reception and lecture on space data hosted by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

Society invests a lot of taxpayer money into building spacecraft and robots that fly to the Moon, Mars, and asteroids to collect samples and return them back to Earth. These samples have been analyzed in laboratories worldwide, generating vast amounts of data that have allowed humanity to gain insights into the origins of the universe, our solar system, and life on Earth. Today, Lamont-Doherty is NASA's sample data repository, where these data sets are made globally accessible so that further knowledge can be extracted in the future.

Join us this Earth Month for a lecture that follows the exciting and distinctive career path of Doherty Senior Research Scientist Kerstin Lehnert, as she tells the story of samples from space and explains NASA’s choice of selecting Lamont-Doherty as their digital home. The lecture will explore Lamont-Doherty’s leadership in making data and samples openly accessible to researchers and the general public, a role that matters more than ever in the era of AI. 

Kerstin Lehnert

Kerstin Lehnert has been at Lamont since 1996. Over the past 20 years, her research has focused on developing online data systems that enable scientists worldwide to share, find, and access data and samples generated as part of their research. The systems she created have become essential infrastructure for scientific research. Her contributions to building research infrastructure and fostering collaboration across the geoscience community have been recognized internationally, including by the European Geosciences Union (Ian McHard Medal), the German Mineralogical Society (Doris Schachner Medal), and the American Geophysical Union (Edward A. Flinn III Award).

About Us

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory seeks fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution, and future of the natural world. Its scientists study the planet from its deepest interior to the outer reaches of its atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean, providing a rational scientific basis for the difficult choices facing humanity.

Event Details

Reception: 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Lecture: 7:00 - 8:00 PM

Parking: Oceanography Parking Lot

Shuttle Information: Shuttles to/from Morningside Campus will be running on the normal schedule. The last shuttle to Morningside Campus will be 7:00 PM.

Check In: Please check in at the registration table in Monell Lobby.

WHEN
April 29, 2026 at 6:00pm - 8pm
WHERE

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

61 US-9W
Palisades, NY 10964
United States
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