The Ames Early Career Researcher Award recognizes recipients that demonstrate exceptional scientific or engineering potential for leadership through outstanding research and the integration of research within the context of the mission of their organizations.

Nomination Process:

The Ames Chief Scientist shall put forth a Center-wide call for nominations. Only NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) staff may nominate another civil servant who has demonstrated exceptional scientific or engineering potential for leadership through outstanding research, and the integration of research within the context of the mission of their organization. All nominations must be submitted to the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS).

All nominations must be made by someone other than the nominee.  Each nomination must be accompanied by the following information:

1. A succinct memorandum (not to exceed two-pages) addressing the following criteria:
   1. Innovative and creative contributions to progress in the nominee’s field activity
   2. Recognition by nominee’s peers of the quality and significance of his/her work
   3. Reasonable expectation of continued high quality work by the nominee
2. A curriculum vitae which should include the following information:
   1. A list of publications
   2. A list of invited talks
   3. Other supporting material
3. Two letters of recommendation of which at least one should be from outside Ames Research Center

Eligibility:

To be eligible to receive the Early Career Research Award, nominees must meet the following criteria:

1. Be currently employed by ARC as a civil servant
2. Be a researcher who is within five years of the start of their independent research career
3. May not hold a management or non-research discipline position
4. May not be the recipient of a previous Ames Early Career Researcher Award

Selection:

All nominations will be evaluated by a peer-review committee. The OCS shall provide recommendations to the Center Director who will make the final selection.

Awardees will receive a personal award of $2,500 and are required to give a lecture to the Center. This year, awardees will not receive a travel budget.

2021 Ames Early Career Researcher Award Winners:

Natasha Batalha
Dr. Natasha Batalha is a scientist at NASA Ames in the Planetary Systems Branch who studies the atmospheres of worlds beyond the Solar System. She has a dual PhD from Penn State in Astrobiology & Astrophysics and has garnered awards such as the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Minority Scholarship & the UC Presidential Fellowship. Her models help decipher the atmospheres of planets, including their climate and chemical makeup. Her models are all publicly available, as she strives to create a field that is accessible and inclusive.

Mary Beth Wilhelm
Dr. Wilhelm is planetary scientist and organic biogeochemist researching biomarker preservation in martian, icy-world, and terrestrial analog environments. She currently leads a team developing life detection instrumentation for future planetary missions. She has published academic research in the fields of astrobiology, geomicrobiology, organic geochemistry, and remote sensing of Mars, and has conducted field work in the Atacama Desert, Chile, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica, and Iceland. Dr. Wilhelm completed her Ph.D. in Planetary Science at Georgia Tech in 2017 and her bachelor’s in Earth & Planetary Science at Cornell University in 2012. She began working at NASA Ames as an intern in 2006.

Past Ames Early Career Researcher Award Winners:

2019

Wendy Okolo

2018

Eric Stern

2017

Ved Chirayath

2016

Kenneth C. Cheung

2014

Kevin Reynolds