November 11, 2023

On July 24, 2023, after presenting her dissertation, “Studying Relationships Between Lunar Volcanic Features: Remote Spectroscopy from Visible to Thermal Infrared Wavelengths,” Lori Pigue was presented with a Doctorate degree in Astronomy and Planetary Science by Northern Arizona University (“NAU”) in Flagstaff Arizona, culminating a six-year PhD program.

Dr. Pigue graduated from Lee’s Summit High School in 2005, then received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and a Bachelor of Science in Education in Biology degree from the University of Central Missouri in 2010.

She started her career in science with the United States Geological Survey (“USGS”) as a Hydrologic Technician at the Central Midwest Water Science Center Field Office in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. She was then employed as an Environmental Specialist, rising to Senior Environmental Scientist for the law firm of McRoberts & Associates in Kansas City, Missouri, before moving to Flagstaff, Arizona, to pursue her PhD at NAU. She became an Affiliate with the USGS Astrogeology Science Center to conduct her PhD Research and became a Pathways Intern at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center during the second half of her PhD, after which she became employed full-time as a Physical Scientist with the USGS.

Dr. Pigue has presented at science conferences all over the US and has received several honors and awards in the science field. Outside her research activities, she co-authored “Meteor Crater—Literacy In Action—Book 1,” a book geared toward younger readers and narrated by Nicole Scott, a veteran NASA Astronaut. The book is a collaboration with Meteor Crater Enterprises, the USGS, and The Learning Alliance of Indian River County, Florida. Dr. Pigue will be continuing her research with the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, AZ, in lunar volcanology, lunar resource utilization, and communications.