Motivated, talented, and experienced professional staff are the basis for the success of the NASA Earth science program. At Ames, Earth scientists and technical personnel design, develop and perform remote sensing and in situ experimental measurements, conduct computer simulations of atmospheric and ecosystem processes to understand exchanges between the biosphere and the atmosphere using data from airborne and satellite platforms. In addition they conceive and develop advanced instrumentation to satisfy NASA Earth science measurement requirements. Project managers and project scientists provide science mission management and science leadership for major Earth science programs at NASA and partner agencies. Staff scientists enhance applications utilizing proven and new technology, and work within NASA programs and policies to transfer NASA Earth science capabilities to commercial enterprises, national and international government agencies and ministries, and educational institutions.
Members:
Florian Schwandner
Division Chief, NASA Earth Science Division (SG)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: florian.m.schwandner@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (818) 354-0601
Dr. Florian (Max) Schwandner uses ground, airborne, and space-based observations to understand how volcanoes move from quiescence to unrest, and how mass and energy flows between the solid Earth, ecosystems, the hydrosphere, and atmosphere, to enable better and earlier forecasts of drastic change. He is an expert in geochemical field monitoring techniques in extreme and remote environments (volcanoes, deserts, tropical rainforests). A formative experience at Pinatubo volcano in 1996 and an active volcanic crisis response in Greece with a team from ETH Zurich led to the personal mission to use science for the benefit of humankind. Schwandner has since conducted fundamental research in atmospheric and volcanic trace gas and aerosol composition, early volcanic precursors, and astrobiology. He also successfully led and contributed to developing volcanic data information systems and led autonomous real-time sensor networks for volcano monitoring in Southeast Asia. In 2017 he demonstrated for the first time that satellites can detect pre- and syn-eruptive Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ) emissions. In 2015 he initiated and since co-leads a multidisciplinary initiative to investigate volcanology-ecology interactions, recently covered by the Washington Post. After joining the NASA family at JPL in 2013, he engaged in several EV-M, EV-I, and EV-S mission formulation and pre-formulation activities, and provided calibration and science products support for space missions. He joined Ames in 2019.
Diana Ly
Deputy Division Chief, Acting Branch Chief, Biospheric Science Branch (SGE)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: diana.c.ly@nasa.gov
Business Phone:
Diana Ly is the Earth Science Deputy Chief and the Project Manager for the Bion-M2 project, an international collaboration with the Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) in Moscow, Russia. From 2017 to 2022, she served as the Deputy Portfolio Manager of the Space Biology portfolio at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. She was responsible for managing the cost, technical, schedule and risk of a portfolio that consisted of over 70 active grants and payload development and operations for space biology experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) and on other free-flyer platforms. Before joining NASA as a civil servant in 2017, she spent twelve years as a contractor performing a variety of science roles for the Nanosat Program and Shuttle payloads and operations roles for ISS payloads. Her passion and dedication to teamwork, innovation, and problem solving have earned her multiple awards, including the prestigious Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy award.
Diana has a BA in Psychology with minors in Biology and Chemistry from the University of San Francisco and an MBA with an emphasis on Leading Teams and Organizations and Managing Innovation and Technology from the University of Santa Clara. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, learning about different cultures and foods, and spending time with family.
Chris Scofield
Assistant Division Chief, NASA Earth Science Division (SG)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: chris.scofield@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-5459
Charles Gatebe
Atmospheric Science Branch Chief (SGG)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: charles.k.gatebe@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (301) 614-6228
Ian Brosnan
Principal Investigator, NASA Earth Exchange (NEX)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: ian.g.brosnan@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-1881
Matt Fladeland
Ames Airborne Science Program (ASP) Manager
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: matthew.fladeland@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-3325
Website: https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/
Matt Fladeland is a Research Scientist and serves as Airborne Science Manager at NASA Ames Research Center. His background involves remote sensing of ecosystems for understanding carbon cycling and emissions. His recent work has involved the applications of unmanned aerial vehicles for providing measurements in remote or dangerous regions. A recent example was the use of a Dragon Eye UAV over the Turialba volcano in Costa Rica to provide SO2 measurements in support of ASTER algorithm validation.
CV:
Curriculum vitae for Matt Fladeland
Marilyn Vasques
Earth Science Project Office (ESPO) Director, NASA Earth Science Division (SG)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: marilyn.vasques@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-6120
CV:
Curriculum vitae for Marilyn Vasques
James Jacobson
Airborne Sensor Facility Lead (ASF), Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: james.d.jacobson@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-2865
Alok Shrestha
Senior Engineer (ASF)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: alok.k.shrestha@nasa.gov
Business Phone:
Don Sullivan
Staff, NASA Ames Research Center
Biospheric Science Branch (SGE)
Business Email: donald.v.sullivan@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-0526
Kassandra Perlongo
Communications Specialist, Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI)
NASA Earth Science Division (SG)
Business Email: kassandra.m.perlongo@nasa.gov
Business Phone:
Wen Feng (Irene) Yip
Business Support Specialist, Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI)
NASA Earth Science Division (SG)
Business Email: wen.f.yip@nasa.gov
Business Phone:
Evelyn Perez
Financial Resource Management Specialist, NASA Earth Science Division (SG)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: evelyn.t.perez@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-1902
Nga Nguyen
Financial Resource Analyst, NASA Earth Science Division (SG), Logical-R Joint Venture
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: nga.nguyen@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-0070
Jennifer Kenworthy
Research Support Specialist, NASA Earth Science Division (SG), Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: jennifer.m.kenworthy@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-5688
Helen Nguyen
Research Support Specialist, NASA Earth Science Division (SG), Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI)
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
Business Email: helen.c.nguyen@nasa.gov
Business Phone: (650) 604-5489