Kelsey Prissel joins the College of Science Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science Department as assistant professor
01-08-2025
The College of Science EAPS Department welcomes Kelsey Prissel to the faculty in the fall of 2024. Prissel received an honors undergraduate degree in Geology-Chemistry from Brown University. She obtained her PhD from Washington University in St. Louis and held a post-doc at the Carnegie Institution for Science Earth and Planets Laboratory. Before making the transition to Purdue, she worked at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston as a Research Scientist for three years.
Prissel researches the chemistry of igneous rocks and what that can tell us about how they were formed. She uses laboratory techniques to unravel the timing of volcanic processes on Earth and explore the formation and evolution of rocky extraterrestrial bodies like the Moon, Mars, and Mercury. She explains, “To address these topics, we can experiment with magmas in the lab under known conditions and then apply the compositions of our synthetic samples to real-world observations from samples or mission data.”
She will be teaching Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (EAPS 34400) in the spring of 2025 and then Mineralogy (EAPS 24300) in the fall of 2025. “In general, I am excited to teach students about igneous rocks across the Solar System and here on Earth. I hope to rotate into and develop other courses relevant to my expertise in planetary science, chemistry, and materials science,” says Prissel.
In addition to her busy academic schedule, she was an NCAA Division 1 college athlete and softball captain at Brown. “I’m excited to be at a university with a strong student-athlete community,” she says. “Having personally balanced courses, research, athletics, music - I’m also a percussionist! -, and now parenting, I know it can be challenging to navigate. I want to encourage students to pursue their passions outside the classroom and develop a well-rounded college experience.”
Prissel grew up in Center Grove, Indiana. She says, “West Lafayette is the biggest “college town” atmosphere I’ve lived in, but it feels more like home than anywhere else I’ve been… just with less IU fans.” She loves spending time with her family and staying active through softball and other sports or gym activities. She adds, “I also really like to bake. I think that hobby in part fueled my pursuit of experimental petrology, where we essentially “cook” rocks in the lab.”
About the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University
The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) combines four of Purdue’s most interdisciplinary programs: Geology & Geophysics, Environmental Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, and Planetary Sciences. EAPS conducts world-class research, educates undergraduate and graduate students, and provides our college, university, state and country with the information necessary to understand the world and universe around us. Our research is globally recognized, our students are highly valued by graduate schools, employers, and our alumni continue to make significant contributions in academia, industry, and federal and state government.
Written by: David Siple, Communications Specialist for the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department at Purdue University