Brief Bio

Maggie Masetti is the NASA Social Media Lead and Web Site Manager for the James Webb Space Telescope mission. She writes science content for use on multiple platforms, and is always look for new and interesting ways for NASA to engage with the public. One she is most proud of are Webb's multiple art initiatives. She organized a 2016 Artist Event, which became a 2017 art exhibit and an ongoing social media JWST-inspired art campaign with over 500 web gallery submissions. For Webb's launch in 2021, Masetti co-created the Unfold the Universe art campaign, which asked the public to submit photos or videos of themselves and their art, inspired by what they thought Webb would discover. Submissions from this campaign were featured in the launch broadcast.

For their intense 10-month social media campaign, which spanned from the run up to launch in 2021 to first images in July of 2022, her team won the Webby People's Voice award in 2023 for Social Media/Education & Discovery (Campaigns), and were an honoree in Social Media/Education & Discovery. She and Isabelle Yan also won two Robert H. Goddard awards in 2023 for this work.

She has previously done web development and education/outreach for missions including Suzaku and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, for the Astrophysics Science Division (NASA Blueshift), and the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics. During a stint in Earth Science, she worked on the "Echo the Bat" and "Amelia the Pigeon" education/outreach projects, as well as on web development for the Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory, and the Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics.

Education

Maggie Masetti received BS degrees in Physics and Astronomy/Astrophysics, with a Math minor, from the Pennsylvania State University in 1997.

Current Projects

Professional Societies

Awards

Webby People's Voice Winner (Social/Education & Discovery/Campaigns), NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Unfolds the Universe, 2023

Webby People's Voice Honoree (Social/Education and Discovery), NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Unfolds the Universe, 2023

Robert H. Goddard Honor Award, Exceptional Achievement in Outreach, James Webb Space Telescope Social Media Team, 2023

Robert H. Goddard Honor Award, Exceptional Achievement in Outreach, JWST Communications and Outreach Team, 2023

ADNET Excellence Award, 2022

ADNET CREW Award (Customer Recognition of Exemplary Work), 2022

ADNET Unsung Hero Peer Award, 2018

ADNET Outstanding Achievement Award, 2018

ADNET CREW Award (Customer Recognition of Exemplary Work), 2014

ADNET Outstanding Achievement Award, 2010

SSAI Outstanding Achievement Award, 2005

Other Professional Information

Maggie has been involved in education & public outreach (as well as website development) at NASA since her summer internship in 1996. She has worked for the Lab for High Energy Astrophysics, the Lab for Terrestrial Science, the Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory, and the Astrophysics Science Division. As a result, she has had experience in both the space and earth sciences, though her academic background is in astrophysics and physics. Over the years she has: written articles about astrophysics; worked with teachers; developed activities and lesson plans; created posters and other print materials; designed and created websites, on-line learning centers, and Flash games; and run high-profile social media accounts and events - all to help bring NASA science to the public and to educators. Currently, she is the social media lead for the JWST mission, and also writes and manages content on their project website (http://jwst.nasa.gov).

Select Outreach/Social Media Highlights:

• Over 3 million followers on NASAWebb's Twitter and Instagram, over 200 million views on Webb's Flickr. My social team (myself, Isabelle Yan, and Katy Mersmann) wrote NASA's top 2 social media posts of all time (engagements) for Webb's First Images.
• 2023 Webby People's Voice winner for Social Media campaigns for "NASA"s James Webb Space Telescope Unfolds the Universe," a 10 month launch to first images social media campaign.
• Curated Ashley Zelinskie's "Unfolding the Universe" JWST-inspired art exhibit on ONX Gallery in NYC.
• Organized and ran Agency's first Twitter Spaces. ("For Your Consideration" summary)
• Facilitated Webb's "Key Facts International" - facts about Webb in 50+ languages:
• #UnfoldTheUniverse: organized launch social media campaign of Webb science-inspired art created by and contributed to our gallery by the public (300 submissions and counting).
• 2020 update to "Build It Yourself: Satellite": updated my game where you get to be the scientist and build your own space telescope.
• 2020 update to "Scope It Out": updated my game for comparing JWST, Hubble, and a simple backyard telescope
• #JWSTArt: organized social media campaign of JWST-inspired art created by and contributed to our gallery by the public (over 500 submissions and counting).
• 2017 JWST Art Exhibit: organized a NASA Goddard Visitor Center exhibit of JWST-inspired art which was created as a result of the 2016 artist event. The art has also been shown in two separate exhibits in Austin, TX. (Online gallery)
• 2016 JWST Artist Event: organized a highly successful social media event for artists to come create art in front of JWST
• NASA Blueshift: between 2007 and 2016, wrote blogs (over 225) and was part of 50 podcasts for NASA Blueshift, the Astrophysics Science Division's "backstage pass" to the science, missions and people involved in NASA Goddard astrophysics.
• "Amelia the Pigeon": team member for development of this K-4 feature for learning about change over time. (no longer available)
• The Cosmic Distance Scale: a feature for learning about the size and scale of the universe
• X-ray Spectroscopy and the Chemistry of Supernova Remnants: a series of lesson plans
• Shedding a New Light on the Universe: an informational booklet on X-ray astronomy

Selected Publications

Refereed

Stewart, E., A. Zelinskie, and M. Masetti. 2023. "Unfolding the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope: Combining Art, Science, and Technology for Public Outreach." 52nd International Conference on Environmental Systems,

Masetti, M. E. 2012. "Combining Social Media with Innovative Ways of Communicating about the James Webb Space Telescope." Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 44:

Masetti, M. E., and S. Bowers. 2011. "The James Webb Space Telescope RealWorld-InWorld Design Challenge: Involving Professionals in a Virtual Classroom." Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 43:

Krishnamurthi, A., J. C. Lochner, C. Conaty, et al. S. Eyermann, T. Ferrell, G. Gliba, B. Griswold, M. Masetti, S. Mitchell, F. Reddy, T. Toth, and A. Vandoren. 2010. "Using IYA to Bring the Universe Down to Earth in the Metro DC Area." Science Education and Outreach: Forging a Path to the Future Proceedings of a conference held September 12-16, 2009 in Millbrae, California, USA Edited by Jonathan Barnes, Denise A Smith, Michael G Gibbs, and James G Manning, p363,

Mitchell, S. E., M. Gibb, M. Masetti, et al. T. Nelson, F. Reddy, and E. Winter. 2010. "NASA Blueshift: Mobilizing The Astronomy-Interested Public Through New Media." American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #46505; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 42, p504,

Masetti, M. E. 1998. "Shedding a New Light on the Universe." Shedding a New Light on the Universe, [Full Text (Link)]

Special Experience

Outside of work, she writes science fiction short stories, plays guitar and sings in a local band, and is working on her fluency in Norwegian. She is a notary public in Maryland, because why not.