It’s a mission to Mars for latest speaker in BC series
Moogega “Moo” Cooper, NASA’s lead planetary protection engineer for Mars, will speak Thursday via Zoom as part of Bakersfield College’s Distinguished Speaker Series.
Dubbed a real-life “Guardian of the Galaxy,” Cooper holds the awesome responsibility of keeping the red planet safe from any of the Earth’s contaminants, serving as planetary protection lead of the famed NASA Mars 2020 mission, which included the highly viewed rover landing on Feb. 18.
Her work with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is integral to the ongoing mission to discern whether Mars could be habitable for humans and that we don’t harm what’s already there — a job she has been working up to for most of her life.
After graduating from high school at 16, Cooper studied physics as an undergraduate, received a master’s degree and went on to earn her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at 24 years old with a dissertation on spacecraft materials.
She is the recipient of several awards, including the NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal, the Charles Elachi Award for Exceptional Early Career Achievement and JPL Voyager Awards for Technical Leadership.
Sharing her life story and love of her work, Cooper is also passionate about empowering organizations and others to achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles. She serves as a role model for women in science and technology and enjoys introducing more people to the wonders of the STEAM world, which she has done in part through appearances on shows like “Because Space” and “Bill Nye Saves the World.”
There are two chances to take part in the free online event at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Links to register are accessible now at the Bakersfield College Student Government Association’s Facebook page at facebook.com/SGAB.
Cooper is the third guest in the BC series that brings community leaders from around the world to share stories of their achievements that have had national and/or international significance.
The remaining virtual programs will continue in 2022 with Justin Hansford, law professor, civil rights activist and scholar on Feb. 24; novelist, poet and feminist Erika Sanchez on March 24; and concluding with filmmaker, actor and activist Rob Reiner on April 22.
Visit bakersfieldcollege.edu/studentevents/dss for more information.