Weekly Space Hangout: Feb 27, 2019 – Dr. Ellen Stofan, Director of the National Air and Space Museum

Hosts:
Fraser Cain (universetoday.com / @fcain)
Dr. Paul M. Sutter (pmsutter.com / @PaulMattSutter)
Dr. Kimberly Cartier (KimberlyCartier.org / @AstroKimCartier )
Dr. Morgan Rehnberg (MorganRehnberg.com / @MorganRehnberg & ChartYourWorld.org)

In April 2018, Dr. Ellen Stofan became the first woman appointed as the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

From 2013 through 2016 Dr. Stofan was Chief Scientist at NASA where she served as the princpal advisor to then NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on NASA’s strategic planning and programs.

Dr. Stofan earned her bachelor’s degree in geology at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and her master’s and doctoral degrees at Brown University, both in geological sciences. While finishing her doctoral degree, Stofan joined the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) as a post-doctoral fellow and became the deputy project scientist for the Magellan Mission to Venus.

Ellen’s research focuses on the geology of Venus, Mars, Saturn’s moon Titan, and Earth. She says her favorite mission was Cassini, primarily because of her interest in Titan.

You can read Dr. Stofan’s complete biolography here: https://airandspace.si.edu/people/staff/ellen-stofan

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