Kiri L. Wagstaff

Kiri Wagstaff
  • Ph.D. in Computer Science, Cornell University, 2002
  • Intelligent Clustering with Instance-Level Constraints
  • M.S. in Computer Science, Cornell University, 2000
  • B.S. in Computer Science, University of Utah, 1997
  • M.S. in Geological Sciences, University of Southern California, 2008
  • Biogenicity Analysis of Stromatolite Structures
  • Master of Library and Information Science, San Jose State University, 2017
  • Automated Classification to Improve the Efficiency of Weeding Library Collections
  • Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), 2023
  • Private pilot's certificate (airplane single-engine land), 2016
  • Instrument rating, 2023
  • My background is in Computer Science, Planetary Science, and Geology. I am most interested in problems that lie at the interfaces between these fields, such as automated methods (artificial intelligence, machine learning) to investigate science questions using planetary data (orbital and in situ).

    I worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, as a researcher in the Machine Learning and Instrument Autonomy Group, investigating ways that machine learning can be used to increase the autonomy of space missions (2003 to 2022). My other roles at JPL include serving as a tactical planner and uplink lead for the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity (2013 to 2017) and the PDS Imaging Node Technologist (2018 to 2022).

    I've also conducted research and taught classes in Computer Science at Oregon State University.

    My research projects at JPL have included:

    News and upcoming events:

  • Library science papers:
  • Selected awards and honors:
  • Extracurricular activities: