Welcome!
I am an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati in the Department of Geology specializing in Precambrian Paleobiology, Astrobiology, and Biogeochemistry. I focus on the origin and evolution of the earliest life on Earth, namely bacteria, cyanobacteria, archaea, and their distant relatives (see my Research page). I also focus on searching for life elsewhere in the Solar System and am a science team member of NASA's upcoming Mars 2020 mission. 
**MARS 2020 MISSION UPDATES**
NASA is sending the Perseverance rover to Mars to explore Jezero crater and search for evidence of ancient life. The rover launched successfully (beautifully!) from Cape Canaveral on July 30 at 7:50 am EDT (click here to re-watch) and touched down beautifully on February 18, 2021.

​Perseverance has been on Mars for almost a year and is doing great. We've collected five rock samples (successfully) and are about to collect a sixth! Can't wait to see these rocks in person in about a decade.

Follow along here for updates or at NASA's Mars 2020 mission website.
Twitter: @NASAPersevere
Facebook: @NASAPersevere

See links to interviews I have done about my involvement in the mission in Czaja Lab In The News (on the right).
**Czaja Lab In The News**
​UC and several local media outlets have featured my involvement on NASA's Mars 2020 mission and the upcoming launch on July 30, 2020.
UC News
WVXU Radio (web story and audio clip)
WCPO Cincy Lifestyle (video)
WCPO News
WLWT (video)

UC and Outside Magazine featured Andrew Gangidine and his work developing a trace element biosignature that could be applied to the search for life on Mars. We were also interviewed by WCPO ABC 9 for their Cincy Lifestyle program.
UC Magazine
Outside Magazine
Cincy Lifestyle (video)

UC featured my work with the Mars 2020 mission as a member of the Returned Sample Science Board and Landing Site Working Group. Subsequently Andrew Gangidine and I were interviewed on Cincinnati Edition on 91.7 FM WVXU.
UC Magazine
Cincinnati Edition (audio)

Press for my paper in Geology on 2.52-billion-year-old deep water sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from South Africa:
UC Magazine  
Live Science   
Phys.org   
Biotechniques   
Daily Mail online (UK)   
TimesLive (South Africa)
 
Please visit the other tabs to learn more about my research, the folks I work with, and where we have been.
Note, this site is perpetually under construction so please check back periodically and/or contact me for more information

last updated:  20 January 2022