About Me

Hi, thanks for visiting my page! My name is Shannon Hibbard and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am an Assistant Professor of Geomorphology at the Desert Research Institute. My research focus is in remote sensing, polar processes, planetary geology, and soil science.

My research is primarily focused on understanding periglacial and glacial processes on Earth to find relationships between surface morphology and subsurface characteristics, particularly related to ice. I use what I learn on Earth and what I know about Mars to characterize periglacial and glacial features and processes and assist in the identification of near-surface massive ice deposits for future in-situ resource utilization on Mars. I also work on the validation of surface and near-surface soil model predictions. I use a variety of field-based remote sensing techniques, such as ground penetrating radar (bistatic, tow, and cart), LiDAR (backpack, tripod, and drone mounted), and uncrewed aerial vehicles. I have also worked on Synthetic Aperture Radar data at the Holuhraun lava flow in Iceland, mapping and characterizing crater ejecta and secondary craters on planetary bodies, and characterizing landing sites for mission concepts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory during my time as a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow.

I grew up in Florida and moved to Ohio to obtain my B.S. degree at The Ohio State University. During my time at Ohio State, I researched sediment provenance in a pro-glacial drainage basin in the Oeztal Alps, Austria. I received my M.Sc. degree from Temple University in Pennsylvania researching the geochemistry of Precambrian impact ejecta produced by impact-derived vapor plumes. I received my Ph.D. at the University of Western Ontario studying glacial processes and buried ice remnants in the Canadian High Arctic and Arcadia Planitia, Mars. Additional research experience includes mapping of buried ice and quantification of landscape change in Garwood Valley, Antarctica, fluvial and high mountain pro-glacial landscape evolution and sediment budget in Austria, and age-dating glacial moraines and rock falls in New Zealand and Norway. I have also worked in a civil engineering firm testing soils and concrete following ASTM standards.

Some non-academic pastimes that I at have or still enjoy include upright bass and bass guitar, aerial silks, competitive weightlifting, yoga and meditation, backpacking, bouldering, table-top games, arachnology, painting, and cooking.

Ph.D. University of Western Ontario, Canada 2021 - Geology and Planetary Science
M.Sc. Temple University, USA 2017 - Geological Sciences
B.S. The Ohio State University, USA 2014 - Geological Sciences