Moogega Cooper
Moogega Cooper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Other names | Moogega Cooper Stricker |
| Alma mater | Hampton University, BA (2006) Drexel University College of Engineering, MS and PhD (2009) |
| Known for | Lead of Planetary Protection for Mars 2020 Mission |
| Awards | NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy, Mechanical Engineering |
| Institutions | NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Thesis | Elucidation of Levels of Bacterial Viability Post-Non-Equilibrium Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Treatment |
| Doctoral advisor | Dr. Alexander Fridman |
| Website | https://www.moogega.com |
Moogega Cooper (born 1985) is an American astronomer, and the Lead of Planetary Protection for the Mars 2020 Mission and is involved with the InSight Mission.
Early life[]
Cooper was born in 1985 in Southern New Jersey to a Korean mother and African-American father, and World War II veteran.[1] She received a B.A. in Physics from Hampton University in 2006, followed by a Masters and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in thermal fluid sciences from Drexel University College of Engineering. Cooper's dissertation focused on non-equilibrium plasma sterilization of spacecraft materials, enabling her to obtain a position with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Planetary Protection Group in 2011.[2] Cooper is the Lead of Planetary Protection for the Mars 2020 Mission and is a member of the planetary protection team for the InSight Mission. Planetary protection is the practice of protecting solar system bodies from contamination by Earth life and protecting Earth from possible life forms that may be returned from other solar system bodies.[3][4]
TV appearances[]
Cooper was a participant on the first season of King of the Nerds, which aired on TBS in 2013, finishing in 5th place.[5] Cooper was a panelist in "The Original Martian Invasion", a 2017 episode of the television series Bill Nye Saves the World. She also appeared in 33 episodes of How the Universe Works from 2015 to 2020.[6]
Awards[]
- NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal (2018)[7]
- Charles Elachi Award for Exceptional Early Career Achievement (2018)[7]
- Drexel University 40 under 40 Award (2015)[8]
- NASA Group Achievement Award, “For exceptional performance in the rigorous evaluation and rapid synthesis of a development strategy for the Mars Sample Return Planetary Protection technology.” October 2012.[2]
References[]
- ^ Kercher, Sophia (14 May 2014). "Moogega Cooper: The JPL's Space Engineer". LA Weekly.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Moogega Stricker". Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- ^ "Mars 2020 and the Importance of Planetary Protection – Dr. Moogega Stricker". Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
- ^ "NASA Planetary Protection Program". NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance.
- ^ "Interview with Moogega Cooper". HalfKorean.com. 29 March 2013.
- ^ "Moogega Cooper". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
- ^ Jump up to: a b mars.nasa.gov. "Moogega Cooper - Planetary Protection Lead | People Profile". mars.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
- ^ "The 2015 Forty under Forty" (PDF). Drexel Magazine. 25 (1): 36.
- 1985 births
- Hampton University alumni
- American women scientists
- American people of Korean descent
- African-American engineers
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- NASA people
- 20th-century American astronomers
- 21st-century American astronomers
- 20th-century American engineers
- 21st-century American engineers
- Living people
- Planetary scientists
- Women planetary scientists
- 20th-century American women scientists
- 21st-century American women scientists
- 20th-century African-American women
- 21st-century African-American women