Adriana Ocampo

Adriana C. Ocampo is a Colombian planetary geologist and a Science Program Manager at NASA Headquarters. She and her colleagues were the first to identify a ring of cenotes via satellite images, the only surface impression of the buried Chicxulub crater, research that contributed significantly to understanding of this impact crater; Ocampo has subsequently led at least seven research expeditions to the Chicxulub site. As well, in 1996, Ocampo and her colleagues discovered the Aorounga Crater Chain in Chad.. She continues to search for new impact craters, and with her team recently reported on a possible crater near Cali, Colombia. Ocampo has had an asteroid name after her, in recognition of her contributions to space exploration.