Early Career
Scientist Spotlights

“ We tend to think a lot about how our own planetary system came to be and less about whether that process was typical or what other ways there might be to create a qualitatively similar one.

“ That period taught me science's dual magic: the thrill of learning the Universe, and the joy of sharing those moments.

“ I was really fascinated by the mysteries of the Universe, and I wanted to contribute to its understanding.

“ It's mind-blowing that while we, as humans, occupy an infinitesimally small place in this vast universe, we've developed tools capable of looking back in time to witness the formation of the very first elements.

“ If a five-minute conversation about the cosmos is enough to pique someone's interest in science as a whole for the first time, it was a five-minute block of time well-spent.

“ I look forward to the next stages of my career where I aim to guide others and form a research group as a professor at a university.

“ Gamma rays are the most energetic form of light and are relatively difficult to produce. Our ability to explain their production is stretched to its limits!

“ I feel strongly about making physics and astronomy more accessible to everyone – especially minorities. Women are notoriously underrepresented in STEM fields, even though we are half of the population. I hope to be an inspiring figure to future generations as I strive to make astronomy more inclusive and accessible.

“ One of my favorite aspects of working at NASA is the immense variety of knowledge you come across every day, in every field of science and engineering. I keep learning new things just by chatting with people during coffee break or lunch! The breadth of the research experiences you come across at NASA is difficult to match anywhere else.

“ Having optimism in this field is also important. If things seem like they’re not working out or your code isn’t working the way it should, it’s important to be optimistic and tell yourself to keep trying and not get too discouraged. It will work out in the end!

“ It was really exciting to be part of a new discovery, 20 years into Chandra’s lifetime!

“ I believe that curiosity is THE most important quality for an astronomer. All the other necessary qualities (motivation, perseverance, knowledge of math and physics) result from great curiosity, in one way or another.

“ I think most people tend to think the light we see is all the light that exists. I wish that people knew about the entire electromagnetic spectrum and that visible light is only a very small part!

“ If we could easily explain everything about the universe, it would be a lot less exciting. I'm in this for the adventure, the thrill of uncovering the unknown, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

“ I’m working with a team of scientists to lay the groundwork for what will hopefully be the next big NASA mission.

“ I remember finding books in the library about the Solar System, black holes, stars, and planets, and I even wrote one of my first research papers in elementary school about supernovae.

“ [T]rying as many opportunities as possible is great because it exposes you to a bunch of different perspectives on how science works and it may lead to finding a great mentor, or maybe even your dream research field.

“ When I stood on that stage and was hooded, it was a testament not only to my academic achievement, but also to my tenacity and determination.

“ My favorite type of moment happens after many hours of hard work designing, building, and programming hardware systems, when I watch them spring to life and return data for the first time. It’s such a gratifying moment!

“ Tenacity is yet another trait that I rely on regularly in my work. It is an attribute that enables me to tackle and complete even the most difficult tasks.

“ When I received an offer from the Astrophysics Division... I was so shocked that what I thought was only a dream had actually come true right before me.

“ I enjoy being in the dynamic environment that GSFC offers; it’s motivating to hear about how other people are tackling diverse and challenging science questions that are different from the questions I think about on a daily basis.

“ After my first night observing on the campus research telescope, I was hooked.... The night sky was a different kind of hidden, mysterious thing to marvel at – and since then, I’ve never looked back.

“ I find it exhilarating to open a new set of data for the first time, knowing I have the privilege of being the first (or one of the first) human beings to ever see that data and then spotting something new that we didn’t know about before!

“ My dad was an electrician and he was very systematic in troubleshooting electrical circuits, so I learned a lot from him and it turns out that many of the methods are transferable to other situations.

“ Our successes are never free of adversity; accept that setbacks will happen. A growth mentality is knowing that failures are temporary, it is also having the persistence to move on, to not give up, and to see opportunities in failures.

“ There are times where you or a colleague will be wrong or when none of your research seems to be working out. So be gracious to yourself and to others. Remember that being stuck or wrong does not mean you’re failing; you’re learning; you’re doing research!

“ Whenever experimental and theoretical data don’t agree, even after checking every nook and cranny—this point in time feels like one is at the brink of discovery. It is like a fairytale ending, or rather, beginning.

“ When it comes to selecting a specific field to study, definitely pick something that you are truly passionate about and focus on the questions that really intrigue you.

“ I cherished being a member of an international collaboration that gave me the opportunity to meet many experts in many different fields of study from many different places in the world and career stages.

“ I love the process of resolving a problem and am absolutely overjoyed when I solve a puzzle, be it a code bug, scientific question, or a math problem. When I am stuck, I remind myself of how overpowering the joy of figuring things out is. That keeps me inspired.

“ It was only in the last year of high school that I learned about electromagnetism and special relativity, and discovered my deep curiosity about Physics. I needed to know more about it!

“ The inner workings of the cosmos were fascinating to me from an early age, and this is what ultimately pushed me towards research in astronomy (the dark and starry skies in the village where I grew up helped to light this spark, too).

“ When we look at the size and power of these objects in the vast universe, it is humbling to know how insignificant we are in comparison. It is equally motivating to know that, despite that apparent insignificance, we are in a quest to investigate and explore it.

“ I am interested in studying gamma-ray sources such as supernova remnants and gamma-ray bursts, characterizing their energy spectra and light curves and comparing to theoretical models to figure out what makes them 'tick'.

“ My mother recalls, vividly, that I first mentioned wanting to work for 'NASA' when I was four years old crunching on cereal in front of my solar system placemat.

“ I really like solving interesting problems and answering big questions about physics and the Universe. I also like that my work involves a lot of different skills and not just one fixed method all of the time.

“ Thinking about how far light has to travel in order to get to the telescopes I use for observing never fails to motivate me to keep trying to learn everything I can from the data I collect.

“ We can look at an enormous object an absurdly far distance away and tell whether it is moving toward or away from us (within its system’s frame of reference) to a precision that is slower than the average person’s walking speed. I find that mind-blowing.

“ I have enjoyed every second of this challenging journey being part of the most meaningful scientific missions I could have ever imagined.

“ As a theorist, a large part of what can make a new project interesting is whether it both advances the technical execution of the modeling and our ability to interpret the physical world through a comparison with observed data.

“ As a researcher, we need to constantly learn new skills and expand our knowledge in areas which are not exactly related to our field of expertise.

“ I hope that by the end of my career we have detailed studies of the atmospheres of hundreds of Earth-like planets and maybe even signs of life elsewhere in the galaxy.

“ 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.

“ I really enjoy the hands-on aspect of building and creating hardware that ultimately will be flown on earth-orbiting X-ray telescopes.

“ 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.

“ Resilience, perseverance, grit, and hard work are some of the magic ingredients behind every successful scientist.

“ 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?