UCSD - University of California - San Diego
10/01/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/01/2025 08:45
Scripps Welcomes Meenakshi Wadhwa as New Director and Vice Chancellor
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- Lauren Fimbres Wood- [email protected]
Published Date
October 01, 2025Article Content
Today marks a new era in the history of Scripps Institution of Oceanography as Meenakshi Wadhwa takes the reins as the 12th director of Scripps and as vice chancellor for marine sciences at the University of California San Diego and dean of the School of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
Wadhwa succeeds Margaret Leinen, who led Scripps for 12 years and made history as the first woman to hold the position. An esteemed Earth and planetary scientist, Wadhwa has led major research programs with NASA and served as director of the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University (ASU) from 2019 to 2025.
Here are a few things to know about Wadhwa, including her research expertise and fascination with meteorites, an academic journey that led her from India to the United States, her previous experience at UC San Diego and more.
What was her path to science?
Wadhwa grew up in north India in the foothills of the Himalayas and loved being outdoors and exploring the natural world around her.
"I was fascinated to discover that there were limestone rocks near the top of Mount Everest that were once at the bottom of an ancient ocean - it was mind-blowing to think of the tremendous natural forces that resulted in the formation of these mountains," recalled Wadhwa. "This sense of wonder about natural processes on Earth was what inspired me to study geology as an undergraduate."
She went on to receive her bachelor's and master's degrees in geology from Panjab University in Chandigarh, India, and her doctorate in earth and planetary sciences from Washington University in St. Louis. Despite encountering many challenges along the way, she persevered with support from her family.
"My undergraduate geology department had very few women students or faculty," said Wadhwa. "Some of the professors tried to discourage me from the program, claiming that fieldwork would be too difficult for me - which only strengthened my determination. Fortunately, my parents were incredibly supportive. They never questioned my desire to travel halfway around the world for higher education, and I'm deeply grateful for their unwavering support and encouragement."
What research is Meenakshi Wadhwa known for?
Wadhwa is an accomplished scientist and professor, with a focus on planetary and meteorite studies. She led the Isotope Cosmochemistry and Geochronology Laboratory at ASU, where she was recognized for developing novel methodologies for high precision isotope analyses to understand the time scales and processes involved in the formation of the solar system and planets. From 2006 to 2019, she served as the director for the Center for Meteorite Studies at ASU, which included management of the world's largest university-based collection of meteorites. She had also spent 11 years as geological curator at the Field Museum.
In her lab at Arizona State Univeristy, Wadhwa studies a meteorite that dates back approximately 4.5 billion years to the beginning of the solar system. Image credit: Steve Craft/Quanta Magazine.
In a TEDxASU talk titled "Messengers from Faraway Worlds," she said, "meteorites are fundamental to our past and our future. My work involves figuring out clever ways of decoding the information that's encoded in the chemicals that make up these rocks, and trying to learn something about when they formed and how they formed."
Her work with NASA includes chairing the Science Committee of the NASA Advisory Council from 2018 to 2022. In this role, she advised NASA leadership on a broad spectrum of Earth and space sciences including astrophysics, planetary science, Earth observation from space, as well as remote sensing and monitoring of climate change indicators and hazards. Wadhwa has also taken part in expeditions of the Antarctic Search for Meteorites Program, for which she received the Antarctica Service Medal.
Wadhwa has taken part in expeditions of the Antarctic Search for Meteorites Program, for which she received the Antarctica Service Medal.
Most recently, she served as NASA's principal scientist for the Mars Sample Return Program, a collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency to bring samples of Mars to Earth for the first time.
She has been an author on more than 130 publications, including recent studies on fluid signatures in asteroids and analysis of lunar meteorites, and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2023. In recognition of her contributions to planetary science, she also has an asteroid named after her - the 8356 Wadhwa - which has an orbit that comes close to that of Mars.
What drew her to Scripps Oceanography and what opportunities does she see?
Her selection as director represents a homecoming for Wadhwa. She worked as a postdoctoral scholar at the institution in 1994 alongside the world-renowned isotope geochemist Günter W. Lugmair. She credits Lugmair with being "an incredible mentor" and said she gained experience here that was critical to her securing her first permanent position at the Field Museum in Chicago.
"Scripps has a rich legacy of scientific leadership across marine, Earth and atmospheric sciences," said Wadhwa. "In this era of unprecedented planetary change, it will be critical to understand the interdependencies of all parts of our Earth system for addressing global challenges. Scripps, positioned within the UC San Diego ecosystem, is uniquely equipped with the people and the capabilities to tackle these issues while training the next generation in essential interdisciplinary expertise and technological approaches."
Wadhwa also acknowledges the leadership of past directors in the 122-year history of Scripps, and said she hopes to build on this incredible legacy.
"My immediate predecessor, Dr. Margaret Leinen, is a trailblazer as the first woman to serve as director of Scripps," said Wadhwa. "Her twelve years of leadership have been consequential in solidifying Scripps as a research and education leader while driving environmental and climate policy nationally and internationally. She is an inspiration to me and many others."
Wadhwa sees tremendous opportunity at Scripps to lead at developing solutions to numerous environmental, climate and human health challenges, to expand industry collaboration in the emerging blue economy, and to pioneer cutting-edge research capabilities stemming from technological advances in autonomous vehicles, sensors, satellite systems and data analytics.
"Perhaps most significantly, the unprecedented volume of relevant data creates opportunities for Scripps to lead in data science and artificial intelligence applications," she said.
How is her name pronounced?
Her name is pronounced Meen-awk-she Wahd-wah. She also goes by Meena Wadhwa.
"In this era of unprecedented planetary change, it will be critical to understand the interdependencies of all parts of our Earth system for addressing global challenges." Meenakshi Wadhwa, Vice Chancellor for Marine Sciences at UC San Diego and the Charles F. Kennel Director of Scripps Oceanography
What have been pivotal moments in her career?
When Wadhwa applied to attend Washington University, she hadn't yet thought space rocks would become her life's work. It was her advisor and then-professor, Ghislaine Crozaz, who first introduced her to Martian meteorites.
"It blew my mind when I first learned from her that we had actual meteorites here on Earth that most likely originated on the red planet," said Wadhwa. "That's when I realized I could vicariously be a geologist on Mars by studying the mineralogy and geochemistry of these rocks."
Wadhwa also credits her 11-year tenure as a curator at the Field Museum for teaching her the importance and significance of public outreach and science communication. There she was responsible for management of their extensive collection and building out a state-of-the-art geochemical laboratory, as well as research, education, public outreach, exhibition development and philanthropic efforts.
In 2017, while Wadhwa was doing field work in Iceland, she was in a fluke accident that left her with many broken bones, a punctured lung and other injuries. She had to be airlifted back to the U.S., and underwent several months of rehab and physical therapy. In spite of this accident, she was still enthusiastic about going back to complete the research.
"For a geologist, Iceland is a magical place," Wadhwa told Quanta Magazine. "It looks like another world to me. Where we were doing fieldwork… it was like a volcanic wonderland."
What is she looking forward to experiencing in returning to San Diego?
Wadhwa acknowledges that one of the lessons she learned during her time at Scripps as a postdoctoral scholar was the importance of balancing work with fun. She often found her greatest scientific inspiration while taking walks on the beach or spending time in nature, which allowed her to return to her work with revitalized energy.
Wadhwa still enjoys spending time outdoors, and is an avid hiker, scuba diver and licensed pilot.
"When I was a postdoc, I loved sea kayaking and exploring the La Jolla sea caves, and I look forward to doing that again," said Wadhwa. "I've done dives in amazing places across the globe such as Bora Bora and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, but have yet to see the amazing kelp forests near San Diego - so I am definitely looking forward to that! Most of all, I am excited to get to know the Scripps community again."
Wadhwa conducting fieldwork in Iceland to collect Icelandic volcanic rocks as analogues of Martian volcanic materials.
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