Channel: Talks at Google

Category: People & Blogs

Tags: educational talksgoogle talkstalks at googletalksted talksinspirational talks

Description: Dr. Moogega "Moo" Cooper discusses her work with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) team and as the planetary protection lead of the famed NASA 2020 Mars mission. With JPL, Dr. Moo is an integral part to the ongoing mission to discern whether Mars could be habitable for humans and that we don’t harm what’s already there, working as a real life ‘Guardian of the Galaxy’. She shares leadership lessons learned from her inspirational journey to the top of a male-dominated field—space exploration, and insights on how perseverance pays off and how diversity makes the JPL team even greater. After graduating from high school at 16, Moogega 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 passionate about empowering organizations and others to achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles that she articulately conveys through her life story and love of her work. A role model for women in science and technology, she is also passionate about introducing more people to the wonders of the STEAM world, including by talking about her work to boys and girls from underrepresented communities and appearing on shows like Because Space and Bill Nye Saves the World. Moo is a 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. For more information on Dr. Moo, please visit moogega.com. For more information on JPL, please visit jpl.nasa.gov. More information on the 2020 Mars mission here: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020. Moderated by Helen Riley.