Michael E. Evans

Learn more about Michael E. Evans

Get To Know Michael E. Evans

What in your life drew you to your current field of study?

I grew up watching the astronauts walking on the Moon, and always wanted to be part of space exploration. This led to my career at NASA as an engineer and manager working on the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs. I am also an attorney interested in science policy and space law. I completed a PhD in Oceanography to better understand Earth systems as a basis of comparison to other planets. I enjoy teaching and hope to inspire future scientists and engineers to continue dreaming for the day when humans live on multiple worlds.

What do you hope your students gain from studying or working with you?

Few people in this age of technology have a single career. Students with passion and energy will likely work in many fields over their career. I am an engineer, scientist and lawyer. Adults who continue to learn and grow as new industries mature will always have job opportunities.

What are you passionate about in your personal life?

Music and choral music is always in my life. I enjoy bicycling and sailing on warm, sunny days along the Gulf coast.

Education

Ph.D. Oceanography/Geochemistry, Texas A&M University, 2017
J.D. Intellectual Property Law, University of Houston Law Center, 1999
M.S. Physical Science/Space Science, University of Houston - Clear Lake, 1989
B.S. Petroleum Engineering, University of Tulsa, 1982

Licenses and Certificates:

• Engineer-in-Training (EIT), Oklahoma 
  
• Graduate Certificate in Space Studies, International Space University (ISU) 
  
• Law License, Texas 
  
• Law License, California

Courses Taught

CHEM 117 – Chemistry Lab for Engineers
OCNG 251 – Oceanography Lab
OCNG 252 – Oceanography Lecture
GEOL 310 – Planetary Geology 

Publications

• New Technologies for Powering a Surface Mission on Titan: Capturing Energy from Titan's Winds for Science Exploration (CETiWiSE); ME Evans, WJ O'Hara; Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 49 (2018)
• Revisiting the Origin of Carbonates in Elephant Moraine A79001 and Possible Evidence for Liquid Water on Mars in the Amazonian; PB Niles, T Sun, EL Berger, ME Evans, M El-Shenawy; Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 49 (2018)
• Using Science Ground Test Procedures in Habitat Mockup Evaluations to Evolve Science Requirements for NASA's Deep Space Gateway (DSG); ME Evans, DH Needham, KR Fisher, SJ Lawrence, PB Niles; Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 49 (2018)
• The story of Amazonian climate change on Mars as told by carbonates in Miller Range Nakhlites; ME Evans, PB Niles, D Locke, P Chapman; AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (2017)
• Studying Antarctic Ordinary Chondrite (OC) and Miller Range (MIL) Nakhlite Meteorites to Assess Carbonate Formation on Earth and Mars; ME Evans, Texas A&M University PhD Thesis (2017)
• Hydrogen (H) Isotope Composition of Type II Kerogen Extracted by Pyrolysis-GC-MS-IRMS: Terrestrial Shale deposits as Martian Analogs; R Socki, D Pernia, KK Bissada, JA Curiale, M Evans, Q Fu, PB Niles; AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (2014)
• TOPAZ International Program: Lessons Learned in Technology Cooperation with Russia; Stephenson Printing, Springfield, Va. (1994)
• A Parametric Analysis of Orbital Debris Collision Probability and Maneuver Rate for Space Vehicles; J.L.Foster, S. Herbert, M. Evans, W. Jackson; NASA White Paper JSC-25898 (1992)

Grants and Fellowships

• Principal Investigator (PI): Lunar Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (LSMES), $100k for 1 year to study a new technology to store electrical energy on the lunar surface for exploration missions, NASA JSC Center Innovation Fund (CIF)

Awards & Recognition

2016, American Geophysical Union (AGU), Outstanding Student Paper Award (OSPA)