James N. Benardini

Dr. J. Nick Benardini is the NASA Planetary Protection Officer within the NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. Prior to coming to NASA HQ in June 2021, he has over 20 years' experience in planetary protection research and flight project implementation. He has been instrumental in planning and leading verification activities for the Mars 2020, InSight, Mars Science Laboratory, and Mars Exploration Rovers. As a Principal Investigator he has conducted research in the field of environmental microbiology, studying extreme environments. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Arizona and a Ph.D. in Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Idaho.