Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Rita M Sambruna (she/her/hers)

(SUPV RSCH AST, FIELDS AND PARTICLES)

 rita.m.sambruna@nasa.gov

 301.286.3966

Org Code: 660

NASA/GSFC
Mail Code: 660
Greenbelt, MD 20771

Employer: NASA

Brief Bio


Dr. Rita Sambruna is the Deputy Director of the Astrophysics Division, Code 660. Previously she was at HQ, where she held positions of science management and leadership. In 2019 she was awarded the NASA Extraordinary Achievement Medal for her leadership on the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey studies. Rita was elected Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2020 and a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society in 2021.

Research Interests


Dr. Rita Sambruna

Astrophysics: Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)

Relativistic jets; physics of compact objects; supermassive black holes in galaxies; Multiwavelength and Multimessenger Astrophysics

Teaching Experience


From 2000 till 2005, Dr. Sambruna was the Clare Boothe Luce Professor of Astrophysics at George Mason University, where she taught undergraduate and graduate classes and led an independent research program supported by external funds. She received the NSF CAREER and NASA LTSA awards.

Education


October 1994, PhD, SISSA/ISAS, Trieste, Italy. Thesis: The X-ray Properties of Blazars

October 1992, Master Phil. SISSA/ISAS, Trieste, Italy. Thesis: The EXOSAT Spectral Survey of Blazars

October 1989, Laurea degree, Univ. of Milan, Italy. Thesis: X-ray Observations the Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables E1405--451 (V834 Cen) and E1013--477 (KO Vel)

Professional Societies


American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Member

2019 - Present


American Astronomical Society

Fellow

1991 - Present


American Physical Society

Fellow

2020 - Present


High Energy Astrophysics Division

Member

2000 - Present

Awards


Selected Awards:

NASA Extraordinary Achievement Medal, 2020

NSF CAREER, 2014

NASA LTSA, 2000

Clare Boothe Luce Professorship, 2000

NRC Research Fellowship, 1995-1997

Other Professional Information


38th on list of “Top Italian Scientists” [107 out of 455; 09 May 2020]

Among World’s Top 2% of Scientists (top 3% in subfield of Astronomy & Astrophysics).  (cf. Ioannidis JPA, Boyack KW, Baas J (2020)[1]

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[1] https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000918&type=printable

Special Experience


Rita is a certified Yoga Teacher with specialization in Yoga for Cancer. She is trained in Applied Behavior Analysis and its applications to non-human animals. Rita speaks Italian, French, Latin/Greek, and a bit of Spanish.