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Mariel Friberg Uses Satellite Data to Study Wildfires

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Mariel Friberg stands on the bridge connecting to the Žofín Palace, the cultural hear of Prague in the Czech Republic, with a view of the Legion Bridge behind her.
Courtesy Mariel Friberg

Name: Mariel Friberg
Title: NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow
Organization: Climate and Radiation Laboratory, Earth Science Division (Code 613)

Let’s start off with something fun! What are your favorite science or space-related books or movies?

Mercury 13, Hidden Figures, Bladerunner, The Very First Light, Learning Earth Science with MIRUBO Series

How did you get to NASA?

I got to NASA via the 2013 NASA-UVA Intensive Summer School in Computing for Environmental Sciences and NASA internship program. After being selected for the program, I was fortunate to be mentored by an atmospheric chemistry senior scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in the Earth Science Division (ESD). This enriching and productive research internship experience led me to integrate remote sensing techniques into my doctoral research. During that summer, I cemented my long-term goal of returning to Goddard and be a part of the ESD community. My NASA experiences are possible thanks to the community’s efforts. It takes a whole village to get to places like this, so I thank all those who helped me along the way.

How would you describe your journey to get here?

Kind of like hiking, my self-discovery journey includes several switchbacks, forks in the road and rocky climbs to get where I am now. Experience has taught me that whenever I stay true to myself and seek what fulfills me, my self-discovery process orients me time and again to an environmental research focus. In addition, the journey continues to afford me incredible opportunities to learn from and collaborate with the brightest scientists in atmospheric remote sensing.

What is your favorite project that you’ve worked on while here?

My favorite would have to be my current NASA ROSES New Early Career Investigator Program project titled “Investigation of Wildfire Convection and Boundary Layer Dynamics with LEO-GEO and GEO-GEO Stereo-Imaging/Tracking Aerosol Plumes.”

Can you give an ‘elevator pitch’ of sorts about that project?

My research focuses on investigating new wildfire observations from the emerging stereo wind and aerosol imaging techniques pairing different combinations of satellites in orbit. Our algorithm uses snapshots taken by two satellite sensors with different observing angles to track the height, velocity, and direction of visibly thick features, such as clouds and wildfire plumes, to compare with computer model outputs. This analysis can help inform modeling experts on how to improve wildfire model outputs. In addition, this work leverages my previous air quality research experience developing techniques to integrate multiple data sources to produce more consistent, accurate, and valuable information using satellite-, aircraft- and ground-based observations.

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Satellite view of fires near San Francisco in Sept. 2020.
Mariel Friberg

When describing your research to people, what part of it is your favorite to talk about?

My favorite part is making air quality and wildfire remote sensing research relatable, discussing the larger context, and finding commonalities between interests/fields with my audience.

If you lost all of your skills and experiences right now, how would you get back to where you are?

I would get back to roughly where I am by staying true to myself. I can’t imagine my drive, determination, affinities, and skill development ability would change enough to lead to a significantly different outcome. This question parallels an ensemble forecast, a set of projections that estimate the range of future weather possibilities. Typically, multiple forecasts are run, each with slight variations in its parameters. The parameter variations, each producing a range of possible weather conditions, help us understand the uncertainty in the model outputs. As a result, the better the model, the lower the ensemble forecast uncertainty. Similarly, the more you know and stay true to yourself, the more likely you will follow a similar path. But then again, who knows, my view might be biased.

If you could change or fix one thing in the world right now, what would it be, and what would be the first thing you would do to fix it?

Practice increasing our ability to be compassionate and empathetic daily. While this practice might not solve all our problems, it can alleviate many issues while raising awareness. I practice compassion and empathy daily to the best of my abilities. This practice reminds me not to take anything for granted, helping keep me grounded and my sensibility agile.

What is something surprising about you that people might not know?

I was brought up in an international household constantly adopting and collecting different points of view, especially as a bilingual Puerto Rican-Swedish American. As a result, I enjoy feeling connected, keeping my adaptivity agile, and giving back to the community. Before the COVID pandemic, I volunteered weekly for the Community Crisis Services, serving the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Trevor Project Lifeline supporting the young LGTBQ community, and other community warm lines. During the pandemic, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to take on the development of Goddard’s informal Earth Science Diversity and Inclusion discussion group. The efforts for this discussion group allow me to continue connecting to and supporting my community and not take anything for granted by practicing compassion, empathy, and listening.

What is one catch-all statement that you would want people to know about you?

I love seeing people flourish. When allowed, I enjoy using my emotional intelligence and other skills to help others succeed. The process dynamics can be variable at times and require knowing where to sit as a cheerleader in someone else’s car (co-pilot seat, back seat, or hanging on by the window trying not to get blown away).

By Erica McNamee
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

A graphic with a collection of people's portraits grouped together in front of a soft blue galaxy background. The people come from various races, ethnicities, and genders. A soft yellow star shines in the upper left corner, and the stylized text "Conversations with Goddard" is in white on the far right.

Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. On average, the Conversations have been published twice a month since May 2011 and are archived on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.