In honor of National Space Day, we interviewed Kelsey Williams, who is a postdoctoral researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) working on planetary instrumentation using spectroscopic techniques such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry (LAMIS). In Part I of our interview with Williams, she discusses how her background led her to her current position at LANL.

In this interview, S. Michael Angel, a consultant on the SuperCam team, explains how the instrument analyzes Martian rocks and what it reveals about Mars’ geology and potential for past life.

Macarena Garcia Marin, an astrophysicist and instrument scientist for the European Space Agency, highlights the role spectroscopy techniques have played in the pivotal research done on the James Webb Telescope since its launch in 2021.

Noureddine Melikechi, dean of the Kennedy College of Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, discusses his work analyzing spectroscopic data collected by the Chemistry Camera (ChemCam) aboard NASA’s Curiosity Rover.

Spectroscopy sat down with Gabi Wenzel, SAO visiting scientist at the Center for Astrophysics, to discuss how spectroscopy is being used to explore the molecular universe.

Gabi Wenzel, visiting scientist at the Center for Astrophysics, reflects on the interdisciplinary nature of astrochemistry and emphasizes the importance of maintaining openness in collaborative, cross-disciplinary work.

In this interview, Gabi Wenzel, SAO visiting scientist at the Center for Astrophysics, explores how high-resolution cavity-enhanced Fourier Transform microwave (FTMW) spectroscopy advances her research.

Gabi Wenzel, a visiting scientist at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, shares how spectroscopy has led to unexpected discoveries in her research on the molecular building blocks of the universe. Wenzel's research focuses on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their interactions with light.

United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) general chapter <1058> on Analytical Instrument Qualification (AIQ) now has a new title from a draft update for public comment: Analytical Instrument and System Qualification (AISQ). A new three-phase integrated lifecycle phase approach to qualification and validation is described. But will laboratories and suppliers implement it?

In a new study published in Measurement, researchers explored the power of low-frequency Raman spectroscopy for non-invasive drug analysis.

In Part 2 of our video interview with Johanna Weker of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, she discusses nutrient recovery systems and how X-ray techniques can improve them.

A study from Chinese researchers demonstrates how combining satellite imagery, land use data, and machine learning can improve pollution monitoring in fast-changing urban rivers. The study focuses on non-optically active pollutants in the Weihe River Basin and showcases promising results for remote, data-driven water quality assessments.

Researchers from Université de Tours have shown that serum mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS) may serve as a promising prognostic tool for identifying high-risk metastatic colorectal cancer patients undergoing first-line bevacizumab-based chemotherapy.

Researchers at Zhejiang University have developed an advanced optical modeling approach using spectroscopic ellipsometry, significantly enhancing the non-destructive analysis of amorphous silicon oxide thin films.