Erin Firth is a research scientist and engineer in Polar Microbiology working with Karen Junge, and in Ocean Engineering working with Anuscheh Nawaz. Erin has a background in classical microbiological techniques applied to novel biological oceanographic and astrobiological questions, and currently works to integrate this background with research involving oceanographic sensors and astrobiological biosignatures in custom pressurized and vacuum chambers.
Erin Firth
Selected Projects
IIRD – Enceladus Plumes
The Saturnian moon Enceladus is a particularly promising target in the search for extraterrestrial life detection, given its large liquid ocean. While direct sample retrieval from this ocean is made difficult by the kilometers-thick ice shell surrounding it, Enceladus is host to prominent geysers that deliver the contents of this ocean to the surface (featured in this image taken during a Cassini flyby). This is a boon to life detection missions, but any life or biosignatures present in this ejecta would be exposed to the stressors of aerosolization, average surface temperatures nearing -200C, prolonged exposure to near-vacuum conditions, and UV…
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Selected Publications
Frantz, C. M., Crump, B. C., Carpenter, S., Firth, E., Orellana, M. V., Light, B., & Junge, K. (2026). Microbial Ecology of Rotten Sea Ice: Implications for Arctic Carbon Cycling with Global Warming. Microorganisms, 14(2), 482. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14020482
Gentilhomme, A. S., Dhakar, K., Timmins-Schiffman, E., Chaw, M., Firth, E., Junge, K., & Nunn, B. L. (2025). Proteomic Insights into Psychrophile Growth in Perchlorate-Amended Subzero Conditions: Implications for Martian Life Detection. Astrobiology. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2024.0065
Ewert, M., Nunn, B. L., Firth, E., & Junge, K. (2025). Metabolic Responses, Cell Recoverability, and Protein Signatures of Three Extremophiles: Sustained Life During Long-Term Subzero Incubations. Microorganisms, 13(2), 251. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13020251
Mudge, M.C., Nunn, B.L., Firth, E., Ewert, M., Hales, K., Fondrie, W.E., Noble, W.S., Toner, J., Light, B., and Junge, K.A. (2021), Subzero, saline incubations of Colwellia psychrerythraea reveal strategies and biomarkers for sustained life in extreme icy environments. Environ Microbiol, 23: 3840-3866, doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15485.
Firth, E., Carpenter, S.D., Sørensen