School of Geographical & Earth Sciences

Dr Aine O'Brien

  • Research Associate (School of Geographical & Earth Sciences)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre)

Biography

I am a planetary science postdoctoral research associate studying meteorites and planetary analogues. Prior to my current role, I worked for BeZero Carbon as a carbon ratings scientist, where I evaluated the effectiveness of carbon offsetting projects, particularly in renewable energy and industrial methane emission avoidance.

 

 

Research interests

My work in planetary science focuses on the analysis of meteorites and planetary analogues. I am interested in the formation and processing of extra-terrestrial organics and the development of techniques to study them, such as isotope ratio mass spectrometry and spectroscopy. My current STFC-funded role is focused on the effect of shock on deuterium to hydrogen ratio in hydrated minerals.

I am also involved in the UK Fireball Alliance's work to detect and retrieve meteorites in the UK.

I am also interested in improving research culture and EDI, having previously worked for the Royal Astronomical Society as their Diversity Officer, investigating the prevalence of bullying and harassment in Astronomy and Geophysics

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2024 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018
Number of items: 26.

2024

O'Brien, Aine Clare ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902, Kanani, Sheila, Massey, Robert and Stephen, Natasha R. (2024) A bullying problem reveals an astronomy and geophysics community in crisis. Nature Astronomy, 8, pp. 678-680. (doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02232-9)

Chan, Queenie H.S., Watson, Jonathan S., Sephton, Mark, O'Brien, Aine C. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902 and Hallis, Lydia J. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415 (2024) The amino acid and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compositions of the promptly recovered CM2 Winchcombe carbonaceous chondrite. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 59(5), pp. 1101-1130. (doi: 10.1111/maps.13936)

Daly, L. et al. (2024) Brecciation at the grain scale within the lithologies of the Winchcombe CM carbonaceous chondrite. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 59(5), pp. 1068-1100. (doi: 10.1111/maps.14164)

McMullan, S. et al. (2024) The Winchcombe fireball—that lucky survivor. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 59(5), pp. 927-947. (doi: 10.1111/maps.13977)

Russell, S. S. et al. (2024) Recovery and curation of the Winchcombe (CM2) meteorite. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 59(5), pp. 973-987. (doi: 10.1111/maps.13956)

2022

King, A. J. et al. (2022) The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system. Science Advances, 8(46), eabq3925. (doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abq3925) (PMID:36383648) (PMCID:PMC9668287)

O'Brien, Á. C. et al. (2022) Using organic contaminants to constrain the terrestrial journey of the martian meteorite Lafayette. Astrobiology, 22(11), pp. 1351-1362. (doi: 10.1089/ast.2021.0180) (PMID:36264546) (PMCID:PMC9618387)

O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902, Hallis, Lydia ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, Regnault, C., Morrison, Douglas ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4161-5699, Blackburn, G., McKay, Eleanor ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5827-1493, Whitfield, P. and Lee, Martin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2022) Soluble Organics Within the Newly Fallen Winchcombe Meteorite. 85th Annual Meeting of The Meteoritical Society, Glasgow, Scotland, 14-19 Aug 2022.

Bowman, Dominic M., Richards, Fred, Maunder, Megan, O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902 and Boubert, Douglas (2022) Stay in love with your PhD. Astronomy and Geophysics, 63(3), 3.32-3.35. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atac039)

Maunder, Megan, O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902, Reid, Jack, Bowman, Dominic M., Richards, Fred and Gough-Kelly, Steven (2022) Generation Covid. Astronomy and Geophysics, 63(3), 3.22-3.27. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atac037)

O'Brien, Aine Clare, Pickersgill, Annemarie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5452-2849, Daly, Luke ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092, Jenkins, Laura, Floyd, Cameron ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5986-491X, Martin, Pierre-Etienne, Hallis, Lydia Jane ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, King, Ashley and Lee, Martin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2022) The Winchcombe Meteorite: one year on. Astronomy and Geophysics, 63(1), 1.21-1.23. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atac009)

Steele, A. et al. (2022) Organic synthesis associated with serpentinization and carbonation on early Mars. Science, 375(6577), pp. 172-177. (doi: 10.1126/science.abg7905)

2021

Bowman, Dominic M., Maunder, Megan, Richards, Fred, Boubert, Douglas and O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902 (2021) Hear it through the grapevine. Astronomy and Geophysics, 62(4), 4.12-4.14. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atab076)

O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902, Boubert, Douglas, Bowman, Dominic, Richards, Fred and Maunder, Megan (2021) Pandemic posters. Astronomy and Geophysics, 62(1), 1.19. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atab039)

2020

Johnson, Paul and O'Brien, Aine (2020) Áine O'Brien Chair, RAS Early Career Network. Astronomy and Geophysics, 61(6), 6.41. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/ataa091)

Bannister, Nigel, O'Brien, Aine and Kinnaird, Alexander (Eds.) (2020) Proceedings of SSEA 3rd Symposium on Space Educational Activities. University of Leicester. ISBN 9781912989096

O'Brien, Aine C., Martin, L.J. and Roberts, S. Lee (2020) The Need for an Inclusive Space Sector: a Student Perspective. In: SSEA 2019 3rd Symposium on Space Educational Activities, Leicester, UK, 16-18 Sep 2019, pp. 204-208. ISBN 9781912989096 (doi: 10.29311/2020.50)

Robson, Daniel, Lau, Henry, O'Brien, Aine, Williams, Lucy, Sutlieff, Ben, Thiemann, Heidi, McCaul, Louise, Weaver, George and Dickens, Tracey (2020) Assessing the Impact of Space School UK. In: SSEA 2019 3rd Symposium on Space Educational Activities, Leicester, UK, 16-18 Sep 2019, pp. 138-144. ISBN 9781912989096 (doi: 10.29311/2020.35)

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L.J., Steele, A., Benning, L.G., Smith, C.L., Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092 and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2020) X-ray Analyses of Carbon-rich Phases in Ureilites. 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2020, The Woodlands, Texas, USA, 16-20 March 2020.

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L.J., Tait, A., Salik, M.A., Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092, Toney, J., Ascough, P., Morrison, D., Steele, A. and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2020) Comparing Bulk and In-situ Techniques to Analyse Martian Organic Material in Preparation for Exomars, Mars 2020 and Mars Sample Return. 2nd British Planetary Sciences Conference, Oxford, UK, 13-15 Jan 2020.

Daly, Luke ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092, Lee, Martin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622, Bagot, P.A., Halpin, John, Smith, W., McFadzean, S., O'Brien, A.C., Griffin, S. and Cohen, B.E. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1634-8998 (2020) Exploring Mars at the nanoscale: applications of transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography in planetary exploration. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 891, 012008. (doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/891/1/012008)

2019

Forman, L.V. et al. (2019) Macroscale and Microscale Fabric Analysis of Allende. 82nd Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, Sapporo, Japan, 7-12 Jul 2019.

Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092, Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622, Bagot, P., Halpin, J., Smith, W., McFadzean, S., O'Brien, A.C., Griffin, S. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5308-3813 and Cohen, B.E. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1634-8998 (2019) Exploring Mars at the Nanoscale: Applications of Transmission Electron Microscopy and Atom Probe Tomography in Planetary Exploration. 16th European Workshop on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis (EMAS2019), Trondheim, Norway, 19-23 May 2019.

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L.J. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, Steele, A., Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092 and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2019) The Effects of Shock and Raman Laser Irradiation on the Maturity of Organics in Martian Meteorites. 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018, The Woodlands, Texas, 18-22 March 2018.

2018

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, Steele, A., Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092 and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2018) Complex organics and elemental sulfur in Northwest Africa 8159: Martian or extra-Martian? 81st Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, Moscow, Russia, 22-27 Jul 2018. (Unpublished)

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L.J. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, Steele, A. and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2018) Reduced Macromolecular Carbon and Elemental Sulfur in Northwest Africa 8159: Implications for Oxygen Fugacity of the Martian Mantle. 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018, The Woodlands, Texas, 19-23 March 2018.

This list was generated on Sat Apr 4 17:36:38 2026 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Edited Books | Conference or Workshop Item | Conference Proceedings
Number of items: 26.

Articles

O'Brien, Aine Clare ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902, Kanani, Sheila, Massey, Robert and Stephen, Natasha R. (2024) A bullying problem reveals an astronomy and geophysics community in crisis. Nature Astronomy, 8, pp. 678-680. (doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02232-9)

Chan, Queenie H.S., Watson, Jonathan S., Sephton, Mark, O'Brien, Aine C. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902 and Hallis, Lydia J. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415 (2024) The amino acid and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compositions of the promptly recovered CM2 Winchcombe carbonaceous chondrite. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 59(5), pp. 1101-1130. (doi: 10.1111/maps.13936)

Daly, L. et al. (2024) Brecciation at the grain scale within the lithologies of the Winchcombe CM carbonaceous chondrite. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 59(5), pp. 1068-1100. (doi: 10.1111/maps.14164)

McMullan, S. et al. (2024) The Winchcombe fireball—that lucky survivor. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 59(5), pp. 927-947. (doi: 10.1111/maps.13977)

Russell, S. S. et al. (2024) Recovery and curation of the Winchcombe (CM2) meteorite. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 59(5), pp. 973-987. (doi: 10.1111/maps.13956)

King, A. J. et al. (2022) The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system. Science Advances, 8(46), eabq3925. (doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abq3925) (PMID:36383648) (PMCID:PMC9668287)

O'Brien, Á. C. et al. (2022) Using organic contaminants to constrain the terrestrial journey of the martian meteorite Lafayette. Astrobiology, 22(11), pp. 1351-1362. (doi: 10.1089/ast.2021.0180) (PMID:36264546) (PMCID:PMC9618387)

Bowman, Dominic M., Richards, Fred, Maunder, Megan, O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902 and Boubert, Douglas (2022) Stay in love with your PhD. Astronomy and Geophysics, 63(3), 3.32-3.35. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atac039)

Maunder, Megan, O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902, Reid, Jack, Bowman, Dominic M., Richards, Fred and Gough-Kelly, Steven (2022) Generation Covid. Astronomy and Geophysics, 63(3), 3.22-3.27. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atac037)

O'Brien, Aine Clare, Pickersgill, Annemarie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5452-2849, Daly, Luke ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092, Jenkins, Laura, Floyd, Cameron ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5986-491X, Martin, Pierre-Etienne, Hallis, Lydia Jane ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, King, Ashley and Lee, Martin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2022) The Winchcombe Meteorite: one year on. Astronomy and Geophysics, 63(1), 1.21-1.23. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atac009)

Steele, A. et al. (2022) Organic synthesis associated with serpentinization and carbonation on early Mars. Science, 375(6577), pp. 172-177. (doi: 10.1126/science.abg7905)

Bowman, Dominic M., Maunder, Megan, Richards, Fred, Boubert, Douglas and O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902 (2021) Hear it through the grapevine. Astronomy and Geophysics, 62(4), 4.12-4.14. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atab076)

O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902, Boubert, Douglas, Bowman, Dominic, Richards, Fred and Maunder, Megan (2021) Pandemic posters. Astronomy and Geophysics, 62(1), 1.19. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/atab039)

Johnson, Paul and O'Brien, Aine (2020) Áine O'Brien Chair, RAS Early Career Network. Astronomy and Geophysics, 61(6), 6.41. (doi: 10.1093/astrogeo/ataa091)

Daly, Luke ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092, Lee, Martin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622, Bagot, P.A., Halpin, John, Smith, W., McFadzean, S., O'Brien, A.C., Griffin, S. and Cohen, B.E. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1634-8998 (2020) Exploring Mars at the nanoscale: applications of transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography in planetary exploration. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 891, 012008. (doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/891/1/012008)

Edited Books

Bannister, Nigel, O'Brien, Aine and Kinnaird, Alexander (Eds.) (2020) Proceedings of SSEA 3rd Symposium on Space Educational Activities. University of Leicester. ISBN 9781912989096

Conference or Workshop Item

O'Brien, Aine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-7902, Hallis, Lydia ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, Regnault, C., Morrison, Douglas ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4161-5699, Blackburn, G., McKay, Eleanor ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5827-1493, Whitfield, P. and Lee, Martin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2022) Soluble Organics Within the Newly Fallen Winchcombe Meteorite. 85th Annual Meeting of The Meteoritical Society, Glasgow, Scotland, 14-19 Aug 2022.

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L.J., Steele, A., Benning, L.G., Smith, C.L., Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092 and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2020) X-ray Analyses of Carbon-rich Phases in Ureilites. 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2020, The Woodlands, Texas, USA, 16-20 March 2020.

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L.J., Tait, A., Salik, M.A., Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092, Toney, J., Ascough, P., Morrison, D., Steele, A. and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2020) Comparing Bulk and In-situ Techniques to Analyse Martian Organic Material in Preparation for Exomars, Mars 2020 and Mars Sample Return. 2nd British Planetary Sciences Conference, Oxford, UK, 13-15 Jan 2020.

Forman, L.V. et al. (2019) Macroscale and Microscale Fabric Analysis of Allende. 82nd Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, Sapporo, Japan, 7-12 Jul 2019.

Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092, Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622, Bagot, P., Halpin, J., Smith, W., McFadzean, S., O'Brien, A.C., Griffin, S. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5308-3813 and Cohen, B.E. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1634-8998 (2019) Exploring Mars at the Nanoscale: Applications of Transmission Electron Microscopy and Atom Probe Tomography in Planetary Exploration. 16th European Workshop on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis (EMAS2019), Trondheim, Norway, 19-23 May 2019.

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L.J. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, Steele, A., Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092 and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2019) The Effects of Shock and Raman Laser Irradiation on the Maturity of Organics in Martian Meteorites. 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018, The Woodlands, Texas, 18-22 March 2018.

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, Steele, A., Daly, L. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-4092 and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2018) Complex organics and elemental sulfur in Northwest Africa 8159: Martian or extra-Martian? 81st Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, Moscow, Russia, 22-27 Jul 2018. (Unpublished)

O'Brien, A.C., Hallis, L.J. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6455-8415, Steele, A. and Lee, M.R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6004-3622 (2018) Reduced Macromolecular Carbon and Elemental Sulfur in Northwest Africa 8159: Implications for Oxygen Fugacity of the Martian Mantle. 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018, The Woodlands, Texas, 19-23 March 2018.

Conference Proceedings

O'Brien, Aine C., Martin, L.J. and Roberts, S. Lee (2020) The Need for an Inclusive Space Sector: a Student Perspective. In: SSEA 2019 3rd Symposium on Space Educational Activities, Leicester, UK, 16-18 Sep 2019, pp. 204-208. ISBN 9781912989096 (doi: 10.29311/2020.50)

Robson, Daniel, Lau, Henry, O'Brien, Aine, Williams, Lucy, Sutlieff, Ben, Thiemann, Heidi, McCaul, Louise, Weaver, George and Dickens, Tracey (2020) Assessing the Impact of Space School UK. In: SSEA 2019 3rd Symposium on Space Educational Activities, Leicester, UK, 16-18 Sep 2019, pp. 138-144. ISBN 9781912989096 (doi: 10.29311/2020.35)

This list was generated on Sat Apr 4 17:36:38 2026 BST.

Grants

UK Space Agency 2020: Roving with Rosalind (£30,000) co PI

 

Teaching

I currently teach a class on carbon credits and offsets for EARTH4088 Geo-Environmental Policy and Planning

I have previously taught tutorials and labs for pre-honours Earth Science and Geography.

Professional activities & recognition

Prizes, awards & distinctions

  • 2021: Space Student Achievement (Sir Arthur Clarke Award)
  • 2022: Barrie Jones Memorial Award (Astrobiology Society of Britain)

Additional information

Education History

- PhD (2022) University of Glasgow

Extraterrestrial organics in meteorites and analogues

- PGCE (2016) Buckingham University

Science (Physics)

- BSc (Hons) First Class Honours, University of Leicester

Physics with Astrophysics

Contact details

You can contact me at aine[dot]obrien[at]gla.systa-s.com

You can also find me on
LinkedIn

Bluesky

and Instagram (@aineonmars)

 


A person standing in the snow

Dr Aine O'Brien on Bluesky Dr Aine O'Brien on Twitter