David C. Catling

David Catling is a Professor of Earth and Space Sciences. After a doctorate at the University of Oxford, he worked as a planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center near San Francisco from 1995-2001, then as a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle from 2001-2005, and as a European Union Marie Curie Chair in England from 2005 before returning to Seattle in 2009. Amongst other things, he was in the scientific team responsible for NASA's Phoenix Lander spacecraft, which landed on Mars in 2008.

In his spare time, he hikes in remote places (such as Patagonia), plays the piano, and enjoys great food.