I’m a Pathways Intern, earning my PhD in Astronomy & Planetary Science at Northern Arizona University. I work in Lunar Volcanology, studying differences between explosive and effusive volcanic features and why they’re different. I’m passionate about inclusion and accessibility. I work daily to create a more equitable working environment for current and future community members.
I started my USGS career as a Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) Employee at the Central Midwest Water Science Center Field Office in Missouri. As a Hydrologic Technician, I worked on water quality monitoring activities, suspended sediment modeling projects, and participated in a wide variety of field, lab, and computer work. I graduated college with a Bachelor of Science in Geology and a Bachelor of Science in Education in Biology. After graduating, I was employed as an Environmental Scientist for a law firm and oversaw thousands of surface and subsurface site assessments. Returning to my roots in volcanology, I decided to pursue my PhD in Astronomy & Planetary Science at Northern Arizona University to study lunar volcanology. During this time, I became an Affiliate with the USGS Astrogeology Science Center to conduct my PhD research and have been able to participate in research projects with Advisors Moses Milazzo, Lisa Gaddis, and presently with Kristen Bennett. I am currently a Pathways Intern at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center. I participate in a wide variety of activities at Astro, including the DEIA Council, outreach activities, public communications, and the Planetary Learning Advancing the Nexus in Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS) educational curriculum development program.
Professional Experience
2020 - present: PhD Candidate, Northern Arizona University and Pathways Intern, USGS Astrogeology Science Center
2017 - 2020: PhD Student, Northern Arizona University and Research Affiliate, USGS Astrogeology Science Center
2011 - 2017: Senior Environmental Scientist (prev. Environmental Specialist and Environmental Scientist), McRoberts & Hartis, PC
2010 - 2011: Hydrologic Technician, USGS Kansas City Water Science Center
Education and Certifications
PhD, Astronomy & Planetary Science (in progress)
BS Geology
BSE Biology
Missouri Registered Geologist (inactive), ASTM-defined Environmental Professional
Affiliations and Memberships*
Unlearning Racism in Geoscience (URGE) member
NASA Hawai’i Volcanology Field Experience, 2019
LPI Meteor Crater Field Research Experience, 2018
Honors and Awards
NAU Presidential Fellowship
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Proposal (GRFP) Honorable Mention
Abstracts and Presentations
Pigue, L.M. et al. (2021), Spectral Analysis of Lunar Pyroclastic Deposits in the Montes Apenninus Region of the Moon; LPSC 52nd Abstract No. 1568 (oral presentation).
Pigue, L.M. et al. (2021), A Tale of Two Mozarts: Investigation of Lunar Pyroclastic Deposits near Lacus Mozart; LPSC 52nd Abstract No. 2594.
Pigue, L.M. et al. (2020), Phase Ratio Analysis of Lunar Pyroclastic Deposits in Alphonsus Crater; LPSC 51st Abstract No. 2178.
Bennett, K.A., et al., (incl. Pigue, L.M.) (2020), Christiansen Feature Values and Estimated Iron Abundance of Lunar Pyroclastic Deposits; LPSC 51st Abstract No. 2721.
Pigue, L.M. (fmr. Glaspie, L.M.), et al. (2019), Characterization of a Potential Compositional Halo around Ina Irregular Mare Patch; LPSC 50th Abstract No. 2889.
Glaspie, L.M.*, et al. (2018) A Simple Ballistic Emplacement Model for Pyroclastic Deposits in Lunar Alphonsus Crater; AGU Annual Meeting Abstract No. 1317.
Glaspie, L.M.*, et al. (2018) Geospatial analysis of lunar pyroclastic deposits with floor-fractured craters and implications of source magmatic regions; GSA Meeting Abstract No. 67-8.
Glaspie, L.M.*, et al. (2018), Alphonsus Crater: Influence of Topography on Eruption Dynamics and Mineral Distribution; LPSC 49th Abstract No. 1559.
Hunter, M.A., et al. (incl. Glaspie, L.M.*) (2018), GIS-Modeled Morphometry of Dark-Halo Craters in Alphonsus Crater; LPSC 49th Abstract No. 1234.
Keszthelyi, L., et al. (incl. Glaspie, L.M.*) (2018), A Simple Ballistic Model for Pyroclastic Eruptions: Application to the Moon, Mars, and Io; LPSC 49th Abstract No. 1317.
Pigue, L.M. et al. (2022), Relationship between Effusive and Explosive Volcanism in the Montes Apenninus Region of the Moon; LPSC 53th Abstract No. 2128 (oral presentation).
Pigue, L.M. et al. (2023), Thermophysical Properties of Volcanic Features in the Mare Vaporum Regino of the Moon; LPSC 54th Abstract No. 2410 (poster presentation).
* Pigue, L.M. (fmr. Glaspie, L.M.)
Science and Products
Planetary Volcanology
Science and Products
- Publications
- Science
Planetary Volcanology
The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on planetary volcanology. Volcanism is a key part of the chemical and thermal evolution of planetary bodies, and volcanic eruptions are one of the fundamental processes that create and alter the surface of planetary bodies. We often study volcanoes on Earth in order to better understand eruptions across the Solar System, but we also bring... - News
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government