Marisa Murillo Email & Phone Number

Hello! I’m Mari, an incoming Planetary Science PhD Student at the University of Hawai’i at Manōa. I will work under Prof. Paul Lucey, and my initial project will be to support development of an infrared multiband laser (Spectral Infrared Reflectance Altimetric Lidar, SpIRAL), in collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, intended to map water in all its forms on the lunar surface.My interest in scientific instrumentation has guided me through my Mechanical Engineering degree and into my professional experience. Working in the Schiminovich Lab confirmed my aspirations of pursuing higher education and ultimately a career as a professor to share my love of teaching and research with others. Since graduating, my work in optical instrumentation continued. As a CAD Engineer at Nanotronics, I worked with my team and people across departments in designing and revising hardware. Nanotronics is a leading developer of optical inspection tools for the semiconductor industry. Using advanced machines and artificial intelligence, they aim to solve for the unique inspection and process control challenges of precision manufacturing. Before my promotion to CAD Engineer at Nanotronics, I completed my apprenticeship in CNC Machining. Beyond teaching me how to program and operate CNC machines, this position informed my personal engineering design process and made me a more mindful designer. Understanding the details behind subtractive manufacturing gives me a perspective of intentionality in engineering. I've also worked as a tutor, camp counselor, and math instructor for K-12 and college students. There's great joy in seeing a student learn and grow more confident. I'm especially invested in empowering underrepresented students to feel that they can dream big, that they belong.