David Grinspoon

Wellesley High School Author: David Grinspoon (1977)

            David is an American astrobiologist. He is Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute[1] and was the former inaugural Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology for 2012-2013.  His research focuses on comparative planetology, with a focus on climate evolution on Earth-like planets and implications for habitability. He has also studied, written and lectured on the human influence on Earth, as seen in cosmic perspective. 

            David has published four books: Venus Revealed, which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times book prize; Lonely Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien Life, which won the 2004 PEN literary award for nonfiction; Earth in Human Hands, which was named one of NPR’s Science Friday “Best Science Books of 2016”; and Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto, co-authored with Alan Stern. He is adjunct professor of Astrophysical and Planetary Science at the University of Colorado.[8]