Mr Ben Rider-Stokes

I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate at The Open University, specialising in planetary materials and asteroid science. My current research integrates laboratory spectroscopy with meteorite microanalysis to interpret the mineralogy of asteroids, providing ground truth for astronomical observations and supporting ongoing and future space missions. I focus on linking differentiated planetesimals and their meteorite analogues to asteroid spectral properties, with implications for planetary formation, resource utilisation, and the evolution of the early Solar System.

Looking ahead, I aim to build an academic career that advances our understanding of planetary bodies through chemical and spectroscopic techniques, while contributing to the teaching and mentoring of the next generation of planetary scientists.