Dean of Science Laurie Leshin recently returned from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she witnessed the landing and the early stages of the rover’s deployment (the above picture shows Leshin, second from left, celebrating the landing with NASA colleagues). NASA/JPL-Caltech

Laurie Leshin, dean of the School of Science and former NASA administrator, is a member of the science team that’s overseeing the NASA rover Curiosity mission, which is analyzing the rock and soil of the Martian surface for clues to the planet’s past, particularly with regard to the presence of water, and the potential for habitability. Leshin has been involved with Curiosity for more than a decade, serving on the team that defined the scientific aspects of the mission and making contributions on two of the 10 instruments the rover carries. Leshin has announced that Rensselaer students will be involved in efforts to analyze the data Curiosity is sending back to Earth. Leshin will discuss the Curiosity mission in a lecture for students and other members of the Rensselaer community on Friday, Aug. 31 at 2 p.m. in the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies auditorium.