{"id":282700,"date":"2025-09-12T06:07:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T20:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=913035"},"modified":"2025-09-12T06:07:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T20:07:15","slug":"nasa-ames-science-directorate-stars-of-the-month-september-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=282700","title":{"rendered":"NASA Ames Science Directorate: Stars of the Month \u2013 September 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Ames Science Directorate&#8217;s Stars of the Month: September 2025<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?w=1920\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Image collage of with three portrait photos of NASA Ames scientists, pictured left to right, Taejin Park, Lydia Schweitzer, and Rachel Morgan.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?resize=900,506 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/stars-of-the-month-september-2025.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Taejin Park, Lydia Schweitzer, and Rachel Morgan. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1583\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?w=1583\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 58% 32%; object-position: 58% 32%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg 5190w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=232,300 232w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=768,994 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=791,1024 791w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=1187,1536 1187w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=1583,2048 1583w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=309,400 309w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=464,600 464w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=696,900 696w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=927,1200 927w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/acd24-0171-012.jpg?resize=1546,2000 1546w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1583px) 100vw, 1583px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Earth Science Star: Taejin Park<\/h3>\n<p>Taejin Park is a NASA Earth eXchange (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nasa-earth-exchange-nex\/\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NEX<\/a>) research scientist within the&nbsp;Biospheric Science Branch, for&nbsp;the&nbsp;Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI). As&nbsp;the&nbsp;Project Scientist for&nbsp;the&nbsp;Wildfire, Ecosystem Resilience, &amp; Risk Assessment (<a href=\"https:\/\/gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fresources.ca.gov%2FInitiatives%2FForest-Stewardship%2FWildfire-Ecosystem-Resilience-Risk-Assessment&amp;data=05%7C02%7Caaron.mckinnon%40nasa.gov%7Ca1dbab5703054ecbf17a08dddb797039%7C7005d45845be48ae8140d43da96dd17b%7C0%7C0%7C638908036796078006%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=008Ii%2Fa9%2BR1MdmqCJy%2FscPzPKPdnfEUpQ5gnMHyrVN4%3D&amp;reserved=0\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WERK<\/a>) project, he has exhibited exemplary leadership and teamwork leading to this multi-year study with the&nbsp;California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop tracking tools of&nbsp;statewide ecological condition, disturbance, and recovery efforts related to wildfires.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lydia-schweitzer.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"626\" height=\"415\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lydia-schweitzer.jpg?w=626\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Photo of NASA Ames scientist Lydia Schweitzer in a laboratory setting.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 59% 26%; object-position: 59% 26%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lydia-schweitzer.jpg 626w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lydia-schweitzer.jpg?resize=300,199 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lydia-schweitzer.jpg?resize=400,265 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lydia-schweitzer.jpg?resize=600,398 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Space Science and Astrobiology Star: Lydia Schweitzer<\/h3>\n<p>Lydia Schweitzer is a research scientist within&nbsp;the&nbsp;Planetary Systems Branch for the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI) as a member&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Neutron Spectrometer System (NSS) team with broad contributions in instrumentation, robotic rovers and lunar exploration. Lydia is recognized for her leadership on a collaborative project to design and build a complex interface unit that is crucial for NSS to communicate with&nbsp;the&nbsp;Japanese Space Agency\u2019s Lunar Polar eXploration rover mission (LUPEX). In addition, she is recognized for her role as an instrument scientist for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) and MoonRanger missions.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"440\" height=\"440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg?w=440\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Photo of NASA Ames optical scientist Rachel Morgan.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 53% 47%; object-position: 53% 47%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg 440w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rachel-morgan.jpg?resize=400,400 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 440px) 100vw, 440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Space Science and Astrobiology Star: Rachel Morgan<\/h3>\n<p>Rachel Morgan is an optical scientist in the Astrophysics Branch for the SETI Institute. As AstroPIC\u2019s lead experimentalist and&nbsp;the&nbsp;driving force behind&nbsp;the&nbsp;recently commissioned photonic testbed at NASA Ames, this&nbsp;month&nbsp;she achieved a record 92 dB on-chip suppression on a single photonic-integrated chip (PIC) output channel. This advances critical coronagraph technology and is a significant milestone relevant to the Habitable Worlds Observatory. <s><\/s><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ames Science Directorate\u2019s Stars of the Month: September 2025 The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Taejin Park, Lydia Schweitzer, and Rachel Morgan. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond. Earth Science Star: [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15606],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-282700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=282700"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282700\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":282701,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282700\/revisions\/282701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=282700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=282700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=282700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}