Christopher McKay is one of the world’s leading experts on the atmosphere of Mars and the origin and evolution of life there. Dr. McKay, a planetary scientist and astrobiologist at NASA’s Ames Research Center, has been conducting research in Antarctica for the last 30 years, studying its Mars-like environs and the extremophiles that inhabit them.

Co-investigator of the Huygens probe, the Mars Phoenix lander, and the Mars Science Laboratory, Dr. McKay is currently involved in planning for future Mars missions, including human settlements. He was awarded the Thomas O. Paine Memorial Award for the Advancement of Human Exploration of Mars by the Society in 1994.

Past Events

• WALL-E’s World: Designs for an Invisible Footprint

  2009 Festival

  Carl Zimmer hosts leading scientists Mitchell Joachim, Christopher McKay and Ben Schwegler as they explore ingenious strategies for creating a sustainable future.

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• WSF Spotlight 2009

  2009 Festival

  An intimate, cabaret-style setting provides an unobstructed glimpse into the minds of some of the world’s most inspired thinkers.

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• Cool Jobs 2008

  2008 Festival

  Imagine building a roller coaster or solving a heinous crime.

  Imagine exploring the surface of Mars or the bottom of the ocean.

  This multi-media event for curious minds of all ages invited our audience to meet scientists with some of the coolest jobs in the world — from crime scene investigator and space explorer to oceanographer and Disney Imagineer.

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