Early Career Scientist Spotlights ("ECSS")
Early Career Scientist Spotlight ("ECSS") articles showcase the early career scientists working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The ECSS articles are intended to
highlight the research interests, science motivations, and achievements of the early career scientist community, and are a great way to learn a bit about some of
the wonderful and interesting people working at Goddard!
If you are a GSFC early career scientist and would like to participate in future ECSS articles, please contact
Danielle Simkus,
Joe Renaud,
or any of our NGAPS Co-Officers.
Bea Gallardo-Lacourt
Space Physicist
"I was told by many people that I was wasting my time pursuing a scientific career and, although this was discouraging, I decided to take it as a challenge and prove them wrong."
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Beck Strauss
Planetary Geophysicist
"Geology is the science of understanding why the natural world is the way it is – why that mountain is over there, how this river got here, what that moon's magnetic field was doing a few billion years ago."
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Armaghan Abed-Elmdoust
Hydroscientist
"My long-term future research activities will be centered on sustainable water resources management and improving hydrological modeling. These are critical subjects to human societies."
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Benson Guest
X-ray Astrophysicist
"Volunteering at outreach events or teaching first year astronomy labs helped me take a step back so that the numbers and pixels on the screen once again became the giant spinning magnets at the centre of explosions in space."
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Yingxi Rona Shi
Atmospheric Scientist
"There is a sense of fulfillment the moment you discover a solution that solves a mystery."
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Danna Qasim
Experimental Astrochemist
"The research accomplishment that I am most proud of is my first first-author paper from my master's, because it was THE underdog paper."
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Danielle Gurgew
X-ray Astrophysicist
"I really enjoy the hands-on aspect of building and creating hardware that ultimately will be flown on earth-orbiting X-ray telescopes."
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Raphael Attié
Solar Astronomer
"Understanding how the Sun and other Sun-like stars power themselves and what makes them erupt has become not just a fundamental astrophysical question, but also a societal necessity."
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Denis Felikson
Cryospheric Scientist
"Writing a science research proposal is like putting together a puzzle: you choose what science questions you want to answer, what tools you will use, and who will be on your team."
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Casey Honniball
Lunar Scientist
"Right now, I focus on lunar water, but I am working to expand to other volatiles to make a comprehensive understanding of volatiles on the lunar surface."
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Michael Kirk
Solar Physicist
"Taking incredibly complex questions or ideas and breaking them down into bite-sized pieces that anyone can understand is my favorite part about being a professional scientist."
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Teresa Monsue
Astro/Helio Physicist
"I remember trying to count [the stars] at a young age, but giving up on it quickly. I felt that there was something bigger out there to understand."
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Burcu Kosar
Atmospheric Physicist
"Don't be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone, that's where the greatest things happen!"
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Carl Malings
Air Quality Researcher
"I'm really looking forward to exploring the campus and getting to meet in person everyone who I've only met virtually so far."
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Alain Khayat
Planetary Scientist
"I am so amazed by how much one could learn about remote objects in the universe when analyzing the light that is received from them."
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Gioia Rau
Astrophysicist
"Resilience, perseverance, grit, and hard work are some of the magic ingredients behind every successful scientist."
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Melissa Ugelow
Atmospheric Chemist
"Something that amazes me is the diversity in the outer solar system moons."
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Odutayo Raji Rufai
Space Physicist
"The first inspiration was, of course, my older brother.... He informed me that I can veer into any profession with a degree in Mathematics."
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Zachary Erickson
Oceanographer
"I would like to help understand the potential benefits and risks associated with ocean-centric climate change mitigation."
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Carolyn Kierans
High-Energy Astrophysicist
"I really enjoy working on new mission concepts. You get to ask yourself: What type of measurements would I like to make to further understand our Universe?"
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