J. Nick Benardini

• University of Arizona
• University of Idaho

James Nick Benardini
8thNASA Planetary Protection Officer
Incumbent
Assumed office June 7, 2021
Occupation	Planetary Protection Officer at NASA
Scientific career
Fields	Astrobiology, Microbiology
Institutions	NASA
Thesis	Microbiology of aquatic environments: Characterizations of the microbiotas of municipal water supplies, the International Space Station Internal Active Thermal Control System's heat transport fluid, and US space shuttle drinking water  (2007)
Doctoral advisor	Ronald L. Crawford

James Nick Benardini is an American microbiologist who serves as the 8th and current Planetary Protection Officer for NASA since 2021. ^[1] He has a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from the University of Arizona and a PhD in microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry from the University of Idaho. ^[2] In 2016, he won the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for his contributions to planetary protection at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. ^{[3] [4]}

References

1. SpaceRef (June 1, 2021). "NASA Announces New Planetary Protection Officer". SpaceNews. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
2. Benardini, James Nick III. Microbiology of aquatic environments: Characterizations of the microbiotas of municipal water supplies, the International Space Station Internal Active Thermal Control System's heat transport fluid, and US space shuttle drinking water (PhD thesis). University of Idaho. ProQuest   304626748.
3. "Planetary Protection". Planetary Protection. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
4. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37086085655

Government offices
Preceded by Lisa Pratt	8th NASA Planetary Protection Officer 2021–present	Incumbent