Justin studies the volatile evolution of the Earth. His primary focus is on how the Earth's atmosphere has evolved through time. He studies ancient minerals that contain microscopic pockets of gas and brine, called fluid inclusions, that record information about the atmosphere in which they formed. Justin uses a technique called mass spectrometry to analyze the gases that come out of these inclusions. He says, “The most interesting part of this work is the process by which we can study the ancient atmosphere. Other studies have to rely on indirect, or proxy, records of atmospheric evolution, but we are working with actual samples of ancient atmosphere.” This type of work is very similar to the work that is being done on ancient ice cores. However, where they work on timescales of 100s of thousands of years, Justin works on a billion plus year time scales. This work is really important in characterizing how Earth's atmosphere, climate, and biosphere have evolved together, and has major implications for understanding and predicting the effects of changes in the modern atmosphere.
Justin began his academic career as an undergraduate physics major at RPI. Increasingly interested in learning about and describing the Earth around him, he became enamored by planetary science and pivoted to an applied physics major with an added geology major. He spent two summers as an intern at Spongejet Inc. to design and optimize cyclonic separators and pneumatic vacuums for abrasive blasting.  As part of an additional astrobiology minor, he also did research on extremophile microorganisms living in hydrothermal vents.  Justin mixed and created media so these organisms could be cultured in a lab setting. 

A third summer was spent at the Mars Institute where he studied historical aircraft designs for flying on Mars, leading up to the monumental first flight of the Ingenuity helicopter as part of the Mars 2020 mission.  Ultimately, Justin would like to personally participate in a Mars mission to compare the atmospheric composition of Mars during the time rocks were formed to the atmospheric composition of earth during rock formation periods. This work has implications for astrobiology, geology, and past/future climate modeling.  Justin received the Robert G. Lafleur Geology Prize and graduated with his bachelor’s, including an additional minor in philosophy, in 2021.

He will continue to focus on research in planetary science, be that in a government or academic lab, once he finishes his PhD. Earning an RPI Founders Award as a graduate student, his influence in the community is evident. Indeed, another “Student Spotlight” candidate referred to Justin in his own nomination materials, claiming he is better at throwing sports than Justin! That would be an accomplishment as Justin was a Liberty League Champion in javelin and earned two Academic All-American titles. He enjoys throwing a variety of equipment, from discus and shotput to frisbees in the disc golf club that plays throughout the capital region. This interest in a variety of sports equipment parallels his attraction to astrobiology, which he is drawn to because it incorporates multiple fields like physics, chemistry, biology, geology and others. “Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this field, it offers the opportunity to combine elements of engineering and technology, such as the development of experimental apparatuses or valuable data retrieving instruments, that may help further both the physical and biological sciences attributable to astrobiology,” says Justin. “Through these experiences, I have been able to diversify my educational and professional experiences while at RPI to help maximize my own knowledge and understanding within this field.” Justin is pleased to have received the James P. Ferris Fellowship in Astrobiology for the 2025-2026 academic year.