Moogega Cooper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Moogega Cooper
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Other names | Moogega Cooper Stricker |
| Alma mater | Hampton University (BS) Drexel University College of Engineering (MS & PhD) |
| 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 |
Moogega Cooper-Stricker (born in 1985) is an amazing American astronomer. She is the lead scientist for something super important called Planetary Protection for the Mars 2020 Mission. She also works on the InSight Mission. Dr. Cooper loves to inspire young people, especially girls and those from groups not often seen in science, to follow their dreams in science and technology.
Contents
Becoming a Space Scientist
Moogega Cooper was born in 1985 in New Jersey. Her mom is Korean, and her dad was an African-American veteran from World War II. She studied Physics at Hampton University, getting her first degree in 2006. She then went to Drexel University College of Engineering and earned two more degrees in Mechanical Engineering by 2009.
Her advanced studies focused on how to clean spacecraft materials using a special kind of plasma. This research helped her get a job at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 2011. At JPL, she joined the Planetary Protection Group.
What is Planetary Protection?
Planetary Protection is a really important job! It means making sure that when we send spacecraft to other planets, like Mars, we don't accidentally carry any Earth germs or tiny living things with us. It's like keeping the planets clean and safe. It also means protecting Earth from any possible life forms that might come back from other planets. Dr. Cooper leads the team that makes sure these rules are followed for missions like Mars 2020 and InSight.
Why Space Matters to Moogega
Dr. Cooper's love for exploring space started when she watched Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" TV show from the 1980s. It made her excited about the universe!
She strongly believes that more women and people from different backgrounds should work in STEM fields. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Moogega Cooper often talks about how much she enjoys working with kids. She helps with programs for students from kindergarten all the way through high school. She wants to show them how exciting science can be!
Moogega's Amazing Work
Dr. Cooper has been a key part of many important space missions. Here are some of her cool accomplishments:
- Mars Sample Return: She worked with Drexel University to create a special cleaning method using plasma. This method could help sterilize containers that bring samples back from Mars.
- Mars 2020 Mission: She made sure that all the Planetary Protection rules were followed for this mission. This mission sent the Perseverance rover to Mars.
- Mars Helicopter Tech Demo: She was in charge of making sure the Mars Helicopter, named Ingenuity, was super clean. She checked it during its building and testing phases. This prevented Earth germs from spreading on Mars.
- InSight Mission: She ensured that the InSight lander, which studied Mars's inside, met all the Planetary Protection rules.
- Mars Science Laboratory: She helped check this spacecraft, which carried the Curiosity rover, to make sure it was clean. She also tested drills on special surfaces that were like Mars.
On TV and in the Media
Moogega Cooper has appeared on several TV shows, sharing her knowledge and passion for science.
- She was on the first season of King of the Nerds in 2013.
- She was a guest on Bill Nye Saves the World in 2017.
- She has appeared in many episodes of How the Universe Works from 2015 to 2023.
- She also gave a special talk called "How to Find Life on Mars While Protecting Earth" for TEDxMarin.
Awards and Recognition
Moogega Cooper has received many awards for her important work and for inspiring others:
- KTLA Black History Month Visionaries (2021)
- The Root 100 Most Influential African Americans (2020)
- JPL Team award for supporting the Mars 2020 Project (2020)
- Bruce Murray Award for inspiring the next generation in STEM (2019)
- NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal (2018)
- Charles Elachi Award for Exceptional Early Career Achievement (2018)
- Drexel University 40 under 40 Award (2015)
- NASA Group Achievement Award for her work on Mars Sample Return technology (2012)
