Brook L. Nunn
KWIYA: UW's icy moon of Saturn
Research Interests
Understanding how different organisms adapt to their unique surroundings by examining their protein expression.
Biogeochemical recycling of organic matter, specifically proteins, in the marine water column and in sediments.
Understanding the chemical interactions between bacteria and particles in the ocean.
Examining why proteins are preserved in sediments for long periods of time.
Taking my extensive knowledge of protein preservation, sequence conservation, and detection methodologies, I am working with NASA to determine what peptides are ideal life detection biomarkers for off-planet life detection.
STEM Teaching through Role-Play Simulations
FORENSIC CHEMISTRY: During the summer, I instruct a forensic Chemistry course at the University of Washington as part of the College Edge Program (formerly known as Early Fall Start). This hands-on course involves incoming UW freshmen actively participating in collecting evidence from the scene of a simulated murder. Collaborating with UWPD, the UW chemistry department, and over 20 actors, students engage in chemical analysis of evidence, interrogate witnesses, and collaboratively solve a crime.
SIMULATED LIFE DETECTION MISSIONS for NASA: In 2021, during Covid, I developed a one week long time-intensive Simulated Mission to Detect Life for upper level graduate students in the University of Washington Astrobiology Program. Working with Ardith Bravenec I generated a new icy moon of Saturn with unique chemistry, evolutionary history, orbit, magnetosphere, and physiochemical properties. At the beginning of the week the students were provided with a list of over 60 analytical instruments that were NASA heritage or currently proposed in NASA upcoming missions. The students could choose from these instruments and how they wanted to build an orbiter and a lander to detect life on this new moon.
Understanding how different organisms adapt to their unique surroundings by examining their protein expression.
Biogeochemical recycling of organic matter, specifically proteins, in the marine water column and in sediments.
Understanding the chemical interactions between bacteria and particles in the ocean.
Examining why proteins are preserved in sediments for long periods of time.
Taking my extensive knowledge of protein preservation, sequence conservation, and detection methodologies, I am working with NASA to determine what peptides are ideal life detection biomarkers for off-planet life detection.
STEM Teaching through Role-Play Simulations
FORENSIC CHEMISTRY: During the summer, I instruct a forensic Chemistry course at the University of Washington as part of the College Edge Program (formerly known as Early Fall Start). This hands-on course involves incoming UW freshmen actively participating in collecting evidence from the scene of a simulated murder. Collaborating with UWPD, the UW chemistry department, and over 20 actors, students engage in chemical analysis of evidence, interrogate witnesses, and collaboratively solve a crime.
SIMULATED LIFE DETECTION MISSIONS for NASA: In 2021, during Covid, I developed a one week long time-intensive Simulated Mission to Detect Life for upper level graduate students in the University of Washington Astrobiology Program. Working with Ardith Bravenec I generated a new icy moon of Saturn with unique chemistry, evolutionary history, orbit, magnetosphere, and physiochemical properties. At the beginning of the week the students were provided with a list of over 60 analytical instruments that were NASA heritage or currently proposed in NASA upcoming missions. The students could choose from these instruments and how they wanted to build an orbiter and a lander to detect life on this new moon.
Once their missions were designed, they were launched and students recieve RAW analytical data from the instruments as they approached the moon. After a week of data analysis and interpretation the students were divided into team false positive and team life detection for a live 4 hour debate. Several members from NASA headquarters attended and realized the importance of these simulations for design of life detection missions.
I am now working on the development of a larger Simulated Missions for Life Detection on MARS.
I am now working on the development of a larger Simulated Missions for Life Detection on MARS.
Professional Preparation:
2004 Ph. D Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington
2000 M.S. Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington
1998 B.A. Geology and Chemistry, Colorado College
Appointments
2021- Co-Lead NASA Network for Life Detection (NfoLD)
2019- Research Associate Professor, Dept. of Genome Sciences University of Washington
2019- Faculty in Astrobiology Department at University of Washington
2018-2021 Steering Committee member NASA Network for Life Detection and Network for Ocean Worlds
2016- Director of Environmental Proteomics Cost Center
2014- Research Assistant Professor; Department of Genome Sciences University of Washington
2011-2014 Research Scientist/PI University of Washington
2012-2015 Research Scientist -PI NSF collaboration with Rodger Harvey (Old Dominion Univ.)
2011-2014 Research Scientist -Co-PI NSF collaboration with Julia Kubanek (Georgia Tech)
2008-2011 Research Associate/ Co-PI D.R. Goodlett (UW), collaboration with Rodger Harvey (Old Dominion Univ.)
2007-2008 Research Associate with David Goodlett, University of Washington
2006-2010 Research Associate/ Co-PI collaboration with Dr. Sylvia Sander (Univ. of Otago)
2005-2007 NSF Polar Program Postdoctoral Fellow with Phillip Boyd (Univ. of Otago), and D.R Goodlett (UW)
2004 Postdoctoral Fellow (2004) with David Goodlett, University of Washington.
2001 Teaching Assistant, Chemical Oceanography: University of Washington
2004 Ph. D Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington
2000 M.S. Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington
1998 B.A. Geology and Chemistry, Colorado College
Appointments
2021- Co-Lead NASA Network for Life Detection (NfoLD)
2019- Research Associate Professor, Dept. of Genome Sciences University of Washington
2019- Faculty in Astrobiology Department at University of Washington
2018-2021 Steering Committee member NASA Network for Life Detection and Network for Ocean Worlds
2016- Director of Environmental Proteomics Cost Center
2014- Research Assistant Professor; Department of Genome Sciences University of Washington
2011-2014 Research Scientist/PI University of Washington
2012-2015 Research Scientist -PI NSF collaboration with Rodger Harvey (Old Dominion Univ.)
2011-2014 Research Scientist -Co-PI NSF collaboration with Julia Kubanek (Georgia Tech)
2008-2011 Research Associate/ Co-PI D.R. Goodlett (UW), collaboration with Rodger Harvey (Old Dominion Univ.)
2007-2008 Research Associate with David Goodlett, University of Washington
2006-2010 Research Associate/ Co-PI collaboration with Dr. Sylvia Sander (Univ. of Otago)
2005-2007 NSF Polar Program Postdoctoral Fellow with Phillip Boyd (Univ. of Otago), and D.R Goodlett (UW)
2004 Postdoctoral Fellow (2004) with David Goodlett, University of Washington.
2001 Teaching Assistant, Chemical Oceanography: University of Washington
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Contact information
Brook L Nunn Department of Genome Sciences Foege Building (MacCoss Lab) Shipping info University of Washington Department of Genome Sciences Foege Building S113 3720 15th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98195 |
My fabulous family is pictured below. Through our enthusiasm for science, we hope to inspire our daughter and show her how awesome our planet is.
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