Robin Elgart

Shona “Robin” Elgart is the element scientist for SRE. She received a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a doctorate in biomedical physics from the University of California at Los Angeles in the laboratory of Dr. Keisuke Iwamoto. Her dissertation focused on characterizing the DNA damage response following low-dose radiological exams in patient samples. Before joining SRE in April 2020, Elgart served as a subject matter expert specializing in space radiation health risks for NASA’s Space Radiation Analysis Group, or SRAG, as well as a Space Environment Officer for Mission Control Center in Houston.

Elgart has more than 15 years of research experience across multiple life-science disciplines, including medical physics and radiation biology. Her experience with SRAG included six years of directing and managing reviews of radiation health outcome evidence, translating research findings into evidence-based operational strategies, and analyzing space radiation protection and risk for the Radiation Health Office. She also has four years of mission operations experience as a space environment officer and radiation mission manager. As the element scientist for SRE, Elgart’s primary objective is to develop and execute a robust applied research strategy to meet the agency’s goal to safely put the first woman on the Moon and the first humans on Mars.