Elisabeth (Libby) M. Hausrath is a Ph.D.-trained aqueous geochemist and astrobiologist who explores water-mineral interactions and the impact of life on these processes. As a faculty member at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, she focuses on understanding chemical weathering, nutrient release, soil formation, water quality, and biosignatures on Earth and Mars. Her interdisciplinary research integrates fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling to examine aqueous alteration rates, the role of microorganisms, and the preservation of environmental conditions in minerals. Notably, her work informs astrobiological studies and provides insights into the history of water on Mars.

Her field research has analyzed weathering profiles, basalt interactions, and biogeochemical processes in environments such as arctic soils and fumaroles. In the lab, she investigates mineral dissolution and precipitation under conditions relevant to Earth and Mars, including nutrient-rich phosphates and clay minerals. Using numerical models, Dr. Hausrath has studied weathering processes on basalt, carbonate dissolution, and the formation of leached layers on Mars. Her findings contribute to understanding the habitability of various environments and the implications for planetary science.

Dr. Hausrath actively mentors students at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels and is seeking collaborators for projects involving water-mineral-biota interactions, Mars mission data analysis, and nutrient behavior in natural environments. She teaches courses on geochemistry, natural disasters, and hydrogeochemistry.