9753175 Blank The questions surrounding the origin of life are the most fundamental ones facing scientists, philosophers, and theologians. Since the recognition that species evolve from earlier forms, two of the key questions have been: One hypothetical model is the generation of primitive life from an organic molecule-rich substrate. Abiotic synthesis of organic compounds has been proposed as a possible mechanism for the formation of this substrate. Two early earth environments have been postulated as potential sites for this synthesis: at the atmosphere-ocean interface, and in hydrothermal systems. This award will address the synthesis and stability of key organic compounds under hydrothermal conditions. The hydrothermal diamond anvil cell technique provides a unique opportunity to conduct dynamic experiments where reaction products, pathways, and rates can all be monitored via continuous in situ measurements. The combination of research institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area provides a unique environment well-suited to the interdisciplinary nature of the proposed research. There is a remarkable concentration of potentially relevant expertise and interest at U.C. Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Stanford University, NASA/Ames Research Center, and the USGS-Menlo Park. The collection of institutions and people in this region is ideally suited to bringing new ideas, observations, and expertise to bear on the problems of prebiotic chemistry. This POWRE award will have a critical impact on the P.I.'s academic career. This award will formally mark her transition from a postdoctoral researcher to a more autonomous position. One of the main attractions of a career in academia is the freedom to design and pursue independent and collaborative research projects. The financial support from this award would allow her to extend her expertise in experimental geochemistry, to the realm of abiotic organic chemistry. She will be able to contribute geological/geochemical perspectives to this interdisciplinary, exciting field of study. Finally, her spouse works in the Bay Area and has been situated there while she has been working as a postdoctoral fellow at the Geophysical Laboratory in Washington, D.C. They have lived apart during these three years, focusing on professional rather than personal lives. The POWRE award will give her the opportunity to advance her career as a scientist and live with her husband.
