NASA Recognizes Morgan Atmospheric Scientist

Morgan State University (MSU) is congratulating one of its assistant research scientists, Melanie Follette-Cook, Ph.D., for receiving the NASA Outstanding Performance Award for Technical Support. Dr. Follette-Cook, is one of two dozen Morgan State atmospheric research scientists working at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center under the Goddard Earth Science Technology and Research (GESTAR) cooperative agreement. She was recognized at the 2016 Atmospheres Annual Awards, an event honoring members of NASA’s Earth Science Directorate’s Atmospheres Division.

Dr. Follette-Cook received the award for her exceptional scientific performance on the DISCOVER-AQ field campaign, an initiative utilizing targeted airborne and ground-based observations to improve the ability of scientists to understand the affect that impact conditions on the ground may have on air quality, and post-mission analysis and modeling. For her role, Dr. Follette-Cook’s work involved running and analyzing computer models to determine the level of detail needed in satellite data to allow accurate understanding of chemicals and chemical processes in the air. She is the fifth researcher at Morgan to win an award from the Atmospheres Division since the GESTAR program began in 2011.

Scientists and staff at GESTAR, in collaboration with NASA and other investigators, conceive and develop new, space-based missions; provide mission requirements; conduct research that explains the behavior of Earth and other planetary systems; and, create engagement media that tell NASA’s story of exploration and discovery on Earth and beyond.