Earth Science Update Panelists

Mary L. Cleave, NASA Headquarters

Mary Cleave joined the Office of Earth Science, NASA Headquarters, in March 2000 as Deputy Associate Administrator for Earth Science (Advanced Planning). In this position, Cleave is responsible for the formulation of NASA's Earth Science activities in the post-2002 timeframe. She has served as SeaWiFS Project Manager at Goddard Space Flight Center. Cleave was selected as a Space Shuttle astronaut in 1980 and was a mission specialist on the crew of STS 61-B in 1985 and STS-30 in 1989. She held graduate research, research phycologist, and research engineer assignments in the Ecology Center and the Utah Water Research Laboratory at Utah State University from 1971 to 1980.

Michael Behrenfeld, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Recent research activities include developing satellite-based models of ocean photosynthesis, investigating the prominence of iron limitation in the Pacific Ocean, and conducting basic research on photoinhibition and photoacclimation in marine phytoplankton. From 1989-1994 worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency laboratory in Newport, Oregon, on the potential influence of stratospheric ozone depletion on marine ecosystems. Ozone depletion results in an increase in ultraviolet-B radiation at the ocean surface. Oceanographer at NASA since September 1999.

Gene Feldman, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

As current Project Manager for the SeaWiFS Mission, Feldman is involved with the production, archiving, and distribution of the satellite-derived ocean color data sets. Previous experience has included working as a fisheries biologist with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and extended service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Western Samoa working on fish farming, sea turtle conservation, and village fisheries development. Recent emphasis on educational, web-based programs through collaborations with the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic Society, and the JASON Foundation for Education. Oceanographer at NASA since 1985.

Paul Falkowski, Rutgers University

Current research interests include biogeochemical cycles, photosynthesis, biological oceanography, molecular biology, biochemistry and biophysics, physiological adaptation, plant physiology, evolution, mathematical modeling, and symbiosis. Active researcher in the Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Laboratory at Rutgers, an interdisciplinary, multiuser research facility designed to explore the application of biophysical and molecular biological techniques to a wide number of environmental processes in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Professor in the Department of Geology and Institute of Marine and Coastal Science; member of the NASA SeaWiFS Science Team Executive Committee.

Jorge L. Sarmiento, Princeton University

Primary research interests are in the oceanic cycles of climatically important chemicals such as carbon dioxide, and in the use of chemical tracers to study ocean circulation. Ongoing research includes the use of ocean general circulation models to estimate uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide, and the use of atmospheric general circulation models to estimate transport of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and carbon sinks in the terrestrial biosphere. Co- chair of the Carbon and Climate Working Group that recently completed a national plan for U.S. carbon cycle research (A U. S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan, U. S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, D.C., 1999). Professor of Geological and Geophysical Sciences at Princeton.

Back to Top