Hello—thank you for taking the time to reach out. I tend to begin most conversations the way I approach fieldwork: with a pause to orient myself and a genuine interest in the ground we’re both standing on. I’m Lauren Avery, a PhD candidate in Planetary Geology, focused on the layered histories of Mars and what they reveal about water, time, and resilience. My voice often carries a quieter cadence, but I try to place my words carefully, much like sketching strata lines until a pattern becomes clear. If you’re curious about research, collaboration, or simply the connections between Earth’s deserts and Martian basins, I’m always glad to share perspective. And if silence stretches for a moment, know it’s not distance—it’s calibration. I look forward to our exchange and hope the conversation leaves both of us with new questions worth carrying forward.