Moogega Cooper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Moogega Cooper
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| 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 American astronomer. She leads the team that protects planets from Earth germs for NASA's Mars 2020 Mission. She also helps with the InSight Mission. Dr. Cooper loves to inspire young people, especially girls and those from diverse backgrounds, to join science and technology fields.
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Early Life and Education
Moogega Cooper was born in 1985 in Southern New Jersey. Her mother is Korean, and her father was an African-American World War II veteran.
She studied Physics at Hampton University, earning her bachelor's degree in 2006. Later, she earned both her master's and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University College of Engineering. Her Ph.D. research focused on how to clean spacecraft materials using a special kind of plasma.
This research helped her get a job at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 2011. At JPL, she joined the Planetary Protection Group.
What is Planetary Protection?
Planetary protection is super important for space missions. It means we try to keep other planets safe from any tiny living things (like bacteria) that might travel from Earth on our spacecraft. It also means we protect Earth from any possible life forms that might come back from other planets. Dr. Cooper makes sure these rules are followed for missions like Mars 2020 and InSight.
Inspiring Future Scientists
Moogega Cooper is very passionate about space exploration. She says that Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" TV show from the 1980s first sparked her interest.
She strongly believes that more women and people from minority groups should work in STEM fields. STEM includes science, technology, engineering, and math. Dr. Cooper often works with students from kindergarten to 12th grade to share her love for science.
Amazing Accomplishments
Dr. Cooper has played a key role in several important NASA missions. Her work helps ensure that our exploration of space is safe and responsible.
- Mars Sample Return: She worked with Drexel University to create a special cleaning method. This method would sterilize containers bringing samples back from Mars.
- Mars 2020 Mission: She made sure all planetary protection rules were met for this mission. This included the Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter.
- Mars Helicopter Tech Demo: She was in charge of cleaning the helicopter. She made sure it didn't carry Earth germs to Mars during its assembly.
- InSight Mission: She ensured that the InSight lander met all the planetary protection rules.
- Mars Science Laboratory: She took samples from the spacecraft to check for germs. She also tested drills on special surfaces that were like Mars.
TV and Media Appearances
Dr. Cooper has shared her knowledge and passion for space on television.
- She was on the first season of King of the Nerds in 2013, finishing in 5th place.
- She appeared as a guest on "The Original Martian Invasion" episode of Bill Nye Saves the World in 2017.
- She has been featured in many episodes of How the Universe Works from 2015 to 2023.
- She also gave a TEDxMarin talk called "How to Find Life on Mars While Protecting Earth."
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 Mars Sample Return technology (2012)
