Meet the Presenters

Brian Campbell

Senior NASA Earth Science Education and Communication Specialist, NASA Wallops Flight Facility

I love everything science, from clouds to soil to black holes to sunspots. My passion is taking hard concepts and making them understandable for everyone. Talking in front of audiences of all sizes, all cultures, all ages, and all learning styles is what I do best. I believe in the power of getting your point across visually. I have a strong photographic memory which I use to tell the world about what I love. I truly believe that some form of levity is necessary in trying to impart your knowledge to others. People will remember what you are trying to teach them if they have something funny, peculiar, or downright silly to remember it by. Science is our friend. It helps us understand much, it helps us get from point A to point B, and it helps us answer many questions that are seemingly impossible. As a NASA Senior Earth Science Educator and Communicator, I use all of the above to teach students, fellow educators, and the public about the best NASA has to offer, and that’s a lot!

Trena Ferrell

Public Affairs Specialist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

I am originally from Lansdale, Pennsylvania. I attended North Penn High School in Lansdale and I attended St. Jean Private College in Tonneins, France as an exchange student at the age of fifteen for the entire year. I attended Albright College in Reading, PA where I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree. My host father in France was a medical doctor and I developed an interested in medicine, which led me earning a Masters of Science in Developmental Biology.

I have a strong passion for education. I taught High School Chemistry, Biology and Math.

I love our planet Earth and education so, I earned my PhD in environmental science. My current job at NASA allows me to help our planet and still educate our future scientists and engineers about Earth. I feel that I am very lucky to do what I do daily!

Holli Kohl

GLOBE Observer Coordinator, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Growing up in Idaho, I spent a lot of time outside experimenting and exploring. Summers were the best! I hunted for fairies and caught bugs, I played with lenses in the summer sun, I built forts, I stared at the stars, I sketched the mountains. I read everything I could find. That sense of curiosity and love of learning brought me to science and NASA. My favorite thing about working at NASA is learning science from people who are passionate about it!

I came to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center right out of college. I studied physics at Idaho State University, followed by graduate studies in science communication at the University of Washington, and those degrees prepared me for a career in science communication. My first job at NASA was writing for the Earth Observatory website. Now I manage a citizen science program called GLOBE Observer. I love that I get to help everyone do science with GLOBE Observer, no matter where or who you are. Even better, the science that you do with GLOBE Observer helps scientists answer important questions about Earth and how it is changing, making life better for everyone.

Peder Nelson

Senior Faculty Research Assistant, Oregon State University

With a background in environmental education, biological sciences, and land management, I use remote sensing and geographic information systems to create maps and data that show people what is happening on planet Earth, particularly changes that can be seen from space. In my current work, I am developing an automated visualization and analysis tool for mapping changes in glacier extent using annual 1984 to 2014 satellite imagery. The overarching broader impact of this project is to create a novel way for glaciologists, climatologists, educators, and students to understand how and where Earth’s glaciers have changed over this period. I have significantly contributed to several research projects related to understanding forest and land cover changes using Landsat satellite imagery across the United States, eastern Europe, Russia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan.

Erika Podest

Earth Scientist, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

I grew up in Panama City, Panama and as a young child was awed by the extraordinary natural beauty of my country. The lush tropical jungle, white sanded beaches, and amazing diversity of plants and animals inspired me to pursue a career where I could better understand our environment and ultimately help preserve it. Today I am a scientist at NASA studying our Earth using data from satellites. I not only love doing science but engaging with students so that they too can learn about our natural environment.

Marilé Colón Robles

Education Outreach Coordinator: GLOBE Clouds, NASA Langley Research Center

I am an education specialist who leads the NASA GLOBE Clouds activities at NASA Langley Research Center, in Hampton, Virginia with Science Systems and Applications, Inc. In my job I work with educators and the general public on how to engage in real-world STEM activities through the GLOBE Program. In 2017, I was proud to be recognized with the Women of Color STEM Award for Educational Leadership – Corporate Promotion of Education. And I was a panelist for NASA’s 2017 Hispanic Heritage Month celebration titled ‘¡Latinos STEM Up’! Prior to working at NASA Langley, my graduate research focused on examining interactions between clouds and aerosols while earning a degree in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I was born and raised in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. In addition to being a wife and mother of two beautiful girls, my hobbies include music and I’m an avid volleyball player!

Cassie Soeffing

Senior Science Educator, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

I grew up in South Dakota and on the weekends, my dad would pile us all in the family car and drive out to the countryside. We'd drive up and down gravel roads for hours, and on family vacations, he'd stop and read aloud every historical marker along the highway. I learned a lot about wildlife, ecosystems, geography and of course, asking questions on trips with my dad. It was, no doubt, the start of my life long study and college degrees in earth science, history, and geography. I enjoy sharing knowledge and my passions which is why I became an science educator.

I am an avid cyclist and have biked in 13 states and Canada.

Mike Taylor

Outreach Scientist, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

I grew up in Maryland, where the summer’s are stifling and the state flag is the best of them all. I’ve always been fond of being out in nature and tinkering with technology and computers. I went to the University of Maryland not completely sure what I wanted to do other than it involving computer and technology. I had two electives that first semester and my friend had told me that he taken a geography course that he really enjoyed and of which he wished could take more. It was in that class and under an amazing professor that I was introduced to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS incorporates all the things I that delight almost all of my real world nerdy proclivities. It combines science, nature, and technology all in one bucket.I loved it so much that I went on to earn my Bachelors and Masters degrees in GIS from the University of Maryland.

I never thought I’d end up at NASA but I applied for an opening as well as applying to many other various places and it just so happened that all of my tinkering paid off. They were looking for someone with a broad range of skills from different fields and I fit the bill. I’ve now been working at NASA for and the Landsat program for about 9 years and find it to be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Read Mike's story on "The Chesapeake Bay in 661 Million Pixels" here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4366