LPI | In The News
July 21, 2026
  News Archive
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has recognized the scientific achievements of Universities Space Research Association (USRA) scientists Dr. Imene Kerraouch and Dr. Allison McGraw by naming asteroids (20452) Kerraouch and (20092) Allisonmcgraw in their honor.
Dr. Imene Kerraouch, a McKay Fellow at USRA’s Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, investigates astromaterials and the evolution of early solar system bodies. Asteroid (20452) Kerraouch, originally designated 1999 KG4, was discovered on May 20, 1999, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) program at MIT’s Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico (code 704). Kerraouch’s research focuses on the mineralogy, petrography, and isotope geochemistry of extraterrestrial materials. She specializes in chondritic material to reconstruct the formation and evolution of rocky bodies, studying rare chondritic xenoliths and Ryugu samples to understand the diversity of primitive assemblages in the early solar system.
Dr. Allison McGraw, a postdoctoral researcher at USRA’s Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), specializes in asteroid families and meteorite compositions, linking asteroid surfaces to meteorite types through infrared spectroscopy and mineralogical analysis. Asteroid (20092) Allisonmcgraw, originally designated 1994 PL22, is a main-belt asteroid discovered on August 12, 1994, by astronomer Eric W. Elst at the La Silla Observatory in Chile (code 809). McGraw has contributed significantly to ground-based observations that establish linkages between asteroid families and ordinary chondrite meteorites, particularly the L and LL chondrites, which make up 86% of meteorites that fall to Earth. She also dedicates substantial effort to planetary science communication.
Read the complete official newsletter and detailed discovery citations in the IAU’s Working Group Small Bodies Nomenclature (WGSBN) Bulletin published on July 9, 2026.
Universities Space Research Association’s Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) was established during the Apollo program in 1968 to foster international collaboration and to serve as a repository for information gathered during the early years of the space program. Today, the LPI is an intellectual leader in lunar and planetary science. The Institute serves as a scientific forum attracting world-class visiting scientists, postdoctoral fellows, students, and resident experts; supports and serves the research community through newsletters, meetings, and other activities; collects and disseminates planetary data while facilitating the community’s access to NASA astromaterials samples and facilities; engages and excites the public about space science and invests in the development of future generations of scientists. The research carried out at the LPI supports NASA’s efforts to explore the solar system.
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