David Tovar is a Colombian planetary geologist and astrobiologist with professional experience in planetary sciences, volcanology, terrestrial analogs, extreme environments, and geological mapping. His research focuses on evaluating the geological, geochemical, and geomorphological characteristics of various locations worldwide to classify them as planetary analogs. As part of this work, he also conducts research in geobiology and geomicrobiology, with an emphasis on extremophilic and extremotolerant microorganisms, as well as biogeochemical cycles, for their application in astrobiology studies. He is currently in the final year of a dual Ph.D. program, pursuing a doctorate in Geosciences at the National University of Colombia and a second doctorate in Space Research and Astrobiology at the University of Alcalá in Spain. Additionally, he is an associate researcher at the Colombian Antarctic Program, co-director of the Planetary Sciences and Astrobiology Research Group (GCPA) at the National University of Colombia, scientific director of the LAGUNA Scientific Corporation, and a founding member of the Latin American Astrobiology Network. As part of his professional activities, he has worked at the Colombian Geological Survey and the Bogotá Planetarium. He also teaches at the University of La Sabana and the Francisco José de Caldas District University. Throughout his career, he has served as a scientific advisor for print media, television news programs, and radio shows.
