Assistant Prof at Purdue EAPS. PI of the Lab for Origins and Astrobiology Research. Rock climber, power lifter, trail runner.
Joined May 2015
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My advice to grad students: take really good care of yourself so that you can grind while you're in grad school. While you're young and still building your knowledge base, skills, and reputation, and carving out your research area - you need to grind a bit.
May 12
I don’t agree. A PhD student should not prioritize work-life balance.
Getting to do a PhD is a privilege. You are paid to think. There is no pressure for you to be economically useful. It is a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of human knowledge and produce something ground breaking.
And nothing great ever happens without complete devotion. Look at everything that moved and shaped the world. Every single person who created anything meaningful, in science, in arts, in music, in movies, devoted their lives to their craft.
Extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary inputs and some degree of sacrifice. Sure, have work-life balance during your PhD. But be content a mediocre outcome.
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Purdue University leads US colleges in Chipotle orders. And I couldn't be prouder. share.google/Q3LvemNd0F8TgWC…
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Our new paper on nucleobase, ribose, and fatty acid production in Selk Crater on Titan was published today!
Congrats Ishaan on another incredible piece of science. I'm so proud of the work that you do.
doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae5f91
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I'm sad to be missing #AbSciCon26 this year😢, but my incredible research group will be there! Please stop by and introduce yourself.
Mariana Aguilar - Monday 3:45 PM (P)
Ishaan Madan - Wednesday 2:26 PM (O)
Gretchen Minich - Thursday 3:45 PM (P)
Mia Trodden - Friday 10:34 AM (O)
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Also, a new undergrad in my group will be presenting some of the research that she did at LPI!
Valeria Guzman: Monday 3:45 PM (P)
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Ben K. D. Pearce retweeted
There is one week left to apply for the 2026 Young Scientist Program at Blue Marble Space!
Among our projects for our interns to work on this year is one that I’m co-convening with Dr. Laura Rodriguez of LPI on the Astrobiology Spectral Database.
Check out all of the available projects and learn more about the undergraduate level online internship at bmsis.org/ysp/projects/
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Ben K. D. Pearce retweeted
Mar 16
Here is our updated database of grants for early careers researchers in all fields.
It goes way beyond traditional NIH and NSF funding opportunities. We list 428 types of grants.
Download it here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding…
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Ben K. D. Pearce retweeted
We have officially launched the applications for the 2026 BMSIS Young Scientist Program!
Those who are eligible from around the world can apply to join our institute this June through August to take part in an internship that includes a research project, learning about ethics, studies in science communication , and more!
Learn more and view our available projects for this year here:
bmsis.org/ysp/projects/
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Purdue astrobiologist reacts to Trump plans to release files on aliens and UFOs starcitytv.com/news/purdue/p… via @StarCityOnline
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Ben K. D. Pearce retweeted
18 Dec 2025
PhD Students - Here is an example of a good discussion section.
A good discussion section should answer 6 questions.
1. What is different in your findings compared to previous research?
2. What is similar in your findings compared to previous research?
3. How different sections of your results section correlate?
4. What are the implications of your findings for practitioners?
5. What are the implications of your findings for researchers?
6. What are the limitations or threats to the validity of your findings?
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10 Dec 2025
We are pleased to advertise an AbSciCon 2026 session on Planetary and Environmental Context for Prebiotic Chemistry. We particularly encourage submissions related to urability (planetary suitability to support an origin of life), related to Mars, early Earth, or elsewhere!
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9 Dec 2025
Christmas came early!!
Our lab's first publication: Madan & Pearce (2025) was published in Planetary Science Journal today.
doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae1c18
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9 Dec 2025
The NH3-free alanine result implies that there is an alternative pathway to alanine beyond classical Strecker or aminonitrile hydrolysis; one that is based on acetylene (C2H2).
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9 Dec 2025
We make recommendations for Dragonfly GC-MS protocol development to include proline, alanine, β-alanine, cysteine, and methionine. The first three offer the best chances for amino acid detection regardless of ammonia availability; the latter two offer diagnostic tools for sulfur.
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