Zara Mirmalek

Affiliation: NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) / Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI)

Division: Space Science and Astrobiology Division (ST)

Branch: Planetary Systems Branch (STT)

Email: zara.mirmalek@nasa.gov

Professional Biography

Dr. Zara Mirmalek is a social scientist conducting work ethnography for applied research with teams that conduct remote exploration and science in extreme environments. She has contributed to the study and design of sociotechnical systems that enable distributed human-robot teams operating with multiple temporal regimes and professional cultures. Her interest in culture and human-technology interaction has developed in the work domains of aerospace, space and earth sciences.

Education

PhD Communication and Science Studies, University of California San Diego

MPA Public Administration, California State University East Bay

BA History, California State University East Bay

Select Publications

Mirmalek, Zara, and Nicole A. Raineault. 2024. “Remote Science at Sea with Remotely Operated Vehicles.” Frontiers in Robotics and AI 11 (October). https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2024.1454923

Mirmalek, Z., 2025, in production. Between a rock and a hard space, in: Praet, I., Pitrou, P. (Eds.), Otherwhere Ethnography: Introduction to Outer Space Studies. Oxford UP.

Milesi, V., Shock, E., Ely, T., Lubetkin, M., Sylva, S.P., Huber, J.A., Smith, A.R., Nawotniak, S.K., Mirmalek, Z., German, C.R., Lim, D.S.S., 2021. Forward geochemical modeling as a guiding tool during exploration of sea cliff hydrothermal field, Gorda Ridge. Planetary and Space Science 197.

Raineault, N., Mirmalek, Z., Fundis, A., 2021. Telepresence closes the distance in the E/V Nautilus 2020 Field Season. Oceanography 34, supplement, 28-29.

Mirmalek, Z., 2020. Making Time on Mars. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

Lim, D.S.S., Raineault, N.A., Alanis, B., Brier, J., Chan, E., Emerson, D., Garcia, A., German, C.R., Huber, J., Kobs Nawotniak, S., Milesi, V., Sheilds, A., Shock, E., Smith, A., Seewald, J., Trembath-Reichert, E., Mirmalek, Z., Miller, M.J., Cohen, T., Lees, D., Deans, M., 2019. SUBSEA 2018 Expedition to Lō‘ihi Seamount, Hawai‘i. Oceanography 32, 48–49.

Payler, S.J., Mirmalek, Z., Hughes, S.S., Kobs Nawotniak, S.E., Brady, A.L., Stevens, A.H., Cockell, C.S., Lim, D.S.S., 2019. Developing Intra-EVA Science Support Team Practices for a Human Mission to Mars. Astrobiology 19, 387–400.

Sehlke, A., Mirmalek, Z., Burtt, D., Haberle, C.W., Santiago-Materese, D., Kobs Nawotniak, S.E., Hughes, S.S., Garry, W.B., Bramall, N., Brown, A.J., Heldmann, J.L., Lim, D.S.S., 2019. Requirements for Portable Instrument Suites during Human Scientific Exploration of Mars. Astrobiology 19, 401–425.

Lim, D.S.S., Abercromby, A.F.J., Kobs Nawotniak, S.E., Lees, D.S., Miller, Michael J., Brady, A.L., Miller, Matthew J., Mirmalek, Z., Sehlke, A., Payler, S.J., Stevens, A.H., Haberle, C.W., Beaton, K.H., Chappell, S.P., Hughes, S.S., Cockell, C.S., Elphic, R.C., Downs, M.T., Heldmann, J.L., 2019. The BASALT Research Program: Designing and Developing Mission Elements in Support of Human Scientific Exploration of Mars. Astrobiology 19, 245–259.

Mirmalek, Z., 2017. Inspiring Innovation: On Low-Tech in High-Tech Development. Interactions 24, 50–55.

Croff Bell, K.L., German, C.R., Mirmalek, Z., Pallant, A., 2015. Transforming remotely conducted research through ethnography, education & rapidly evolving technologies (TREET). Oceanography (Supplement) 28, 40–43.

Efstathiou, S., Mirmalek, Z., 2014. Interdisciplinarity in Action, in: Cartwright, N., Montuschi, E. (Eds.), Philosophy of Social Science. Oxford University Press, U.K., pp. 233–248.

Wales, R.C., O’Neill, J., Mirmalek, Z., 2002. Ethnography, negotiated interactions, and customers at the airport. IEEE: Intelligent Systems Special issue on HCC at NASA 17, 15–23.

NASA Missions

Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission, 2019 – present, Science Operations & Integration Deputy

Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission, 08/2003 – 09/2004, Work system Design & Evaluation Ethnographer

Awards & Others

(Selection)

NASA Group Achievement Award, VIPER, 2021

NASA Ames Honor Award, 2021

VIPER Science Deputy Science Operations and Integration Lead, 2019-present

Remote science at sea program co-lead, Peerside, 2022-present

Senior Research Scientist, Bay Area Environmental Research Institute, 2017-present

Senior Fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2017-2020

Guest Investigator, Work Ethnographer, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2014-2017

Postdoctoral Fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2013-2017

Postdoctoral Associate, Aerospace: commercial and cargo flight decks, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009-2011

Joanna Ploeger Award, Association for the Rhetoric of Science and Technology National Communication Association, 2008           

NASA Group Achievement Award, Work System Design & Evaluation Workgroup, 2004

NASA Administrator’s Award Turning Goals into Reality, 2004

Work Ethnographer, Space science: MER mission, NASA Ames, 2003-2004

IBM PhD Fellowship Award, 2003

Work Ethnographer, Aerospace: commercial airline organization, NASA Ames, 1999-2001