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Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Sara E Mitchell

(SR. FACULTY SPECIALIST)

Sara E Mitchell's Contact Card & Information.
Email: sara.mitchell@nasa.gov
Phone: 301.286.4598
Org Code: 660.1
Address:
NASA/GSFC
 Mail Code 660
 Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AT COLLEGE PARK

Brief Bio

Sara Mitchell is the Social Media Lead for the Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. She manages NASA Universe, the agency's thematic astrophysics accounts on X, Facebook, and Instagram, and collaborates with communicators across the agency to tell the stories of NASA Astrophysics on social media.


Since 2003, Sara has supported a variety of ASD communication, formal education, informal education, and public outreach programs. Her educational background includes both astrophysics and communication, and working at Goddard provides her with a unique opportunity to apply her scientific, technical, and creative knowledge to initiatives including social media, websites, booklets, videos, posters, and presentations. Sara's previous experiences include work with undergraduate physics curricula, summer K-12 student programs, and independent film and video.

Other Professional Information

At Goddard, Sara serves as a "translator" between astrophysics missions and programs across the agency and public audiences. In 2007, she co-founded NASA Blueshift, a new media project of podcasts, blogs, and other multimedia. This project was a "backstage pass" to the science, missions, and people in the Division, which evolved into NASA Universe and broadened to cover the whole agency in 2019.


Prior to her full-time role as Social Media Lead, Sara was also engaged in astrophysics education efforts. She has contributed to materials such as booklets, posters, videos, and websites. Sara's education projects were primarily focused on informal education and public outreach — programs and materials directed toward audiences outside of the classroom. In 2006, she co-founded the NASA Family Science Night (FSN) program, a curriculum featuring hands-on events for middle schoolers and their families. This unique out-of-school project harnesses the influence of parents and other family members on student achievement and career choices. Sara also co-founded the Afterschool Universe program, a curriculum developed for use in afterschool programs, summer camps, and other out-of-school-time venues.


Sara co-produced "Building the Coolest X-ray Satellite," an award-winning video about the JAXA-NASA Suzaku mission, and co-authored the accompanying educator guide. She also represented the ASD at national education and scientific conventions, creating workshops for educators and students about the ASD's programs and materials as well as workshops for peers about educational tools and methodology. This portion of her work gave her a unique opportunity to interact directly with the end users of her educational products and programs.

Awards

Individual:

  • 2007 NASA Astrophysics Science Division Peer Award – “for enthusiastically directing the production of the ASD podcast, Blueshift”
  • 2011 NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal – “for exceptional contribution to the visibility of NASA’s science missions by producing programs and fostering collaborations within education and public outreach at Goddard”
  • 2020 NASA Astrophysics Science Division Peer Award – “for your enthusiastic dedication to ASD’s social media presence, including such major successes as Black Hole Week, exemplars of your advance work and attention to detail for scientific correctness, and always looking to expand to new audiences”

Group:

  • 2006 Silver Telly Award – for co-producing the educational video “Building the Coolest X-ray Satellite” for the Suzaku mission
  • 2008 NASA Robert H. Goddard Exceptional Achievement Team Award for Outreach – presented to the Family Science Night Team “for your contribution to Education and Outreach in the local community through the innovative and exemplary NASA GSFC Family Science Night Program”
  • 2009 NASA Honor Award for Public Service Group Achievement – presented to the Afterschool Universe Team “for dedication and innovation in bringing NASA into the lives of thousands of individuals who might not otherwise be engaged in space science”
  • 2011 NASA Robert H. Goddard Exceptional Achievement Team Award for Outreach – presented to the International Observe the Moon Night Outreach Team “for outstanding leadership in the role of creating and supporting an international public outreach event that features lunar content from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter”
  • 2011 NASA Honor Award for Group Achievement – presented to the 2010 GSFC Summer of Innovation team “for outstanding planning, design and delivery of a high-quality and fun middle school Summer of Innovation educational experience for 800 students”
  • 2018 NASA Special Act Team Award – presented to the Fermi Team “for outstanding support of Fermi Ten Year Anniversary activities”
  • 2018 NASA Special Act Team Award – presented to the 660 Communications Team “for outstanding support of Astrophysics Science Division communications”
  • 2018 NASA Honor Award for Group Achievement – presented to the Goddard Astrophysics Communication Team “for exceptional planning and executing an outstanding communications campaign in support of the first discovery of gravitational waves and light”
  • 2018 NASA Robert H. Goddard Exceptional Achievement Team Award for Outreach – presented to the Fermi@10 Team “for outstanding planning and implementation of a year of public engagement in the scientific discoveries from the first 10 years of the Fermi Mission”

Selected Publications

Refereed

2018. "[Insert Your Science Here] Week: Creating science-driven public awareness campaigns.", American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #231, 231 360.05 [Other]

2015. "NASA's Coordinated Efforts to Enhance STEM Education: Bringing NASA Science into the Library.", Celebrating Science: Putting Education Best Practices to Work, 500 85 [Proceedings]

2013. "Astro4Girls and Their Families: Sharing Science via Public Libraries.", Communicating Science: A National Conference on Science Education and Public Outreach, 473 385 [Proceedings]

2010. "NASA Blueshift: Mobilizing The Astronomy-Interested Public Through New Media.", American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #46505; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 42, p504, [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "NASA Science Served Family Style.", American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #46503; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 42, p504, [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Afterschool Universe - Bringing Astronomy Down to Earth.", American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #46502; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 42, p503, [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Using IYA to Bring the Universe Down to Earth in the Metro DC Area.", Science Education and Outreach: Forging a Path to the Future Proceedings of a conference held September 12-16, 2009 in Millbrae, California, USA Edited by Jonathan Barnes, Denise A Smith, Michael G Gibbs, and James G Manning, p363, [Journal Article/Letter]

2009. "Astronony in Unexpected Places.", Spark, the AAS Education Newsletter, Issue 5, p 13-14, [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Afterschool Universe - Bringing Astronomy Down to Earth.", American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #212, #2809; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 40, p227, [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Getting it Out There: Astronomy Education in Every Venue.", Spark, the AAS Education Newsletter, Issue 5, p 8-8, [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Blueshift: Bringing the Universe Closer to the Public Through Podcasting.", American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #212, #3401; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 40, p232, [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "You Can't Flush Science Outreach.", American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #212, #3403; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 40, p233, [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Family Astronomy: Improving Practices and Developing New Approaches.", EPO and a Changing World: Creating Linkages and Expanding Partnerships ASP Conference Series, Vol 389, proceedings of the conference held 5-7 September 2007, in Chicago, Illinois, USA Edited by Catharine Garmany, Michael G Gibbs, and J Ward Moody San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2080, p309, [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Portfolio on a Shoestring.", EPO and a Changing World: Creating Linkages and Expanding Partnerships ASP Conference Series, Vol 389, proceedings of the conference held 5-7 September 2007, in Chicago, Illinois, USA Edited by Catharine Garmany, Michael G Gibbs, and J Ward Moody San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2080, p335, [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Afterschool Universe: Bringing Astronomy Down to Earth.", Preparing for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy: A Hands-On Symposium ASP Conference Series, Vol 400, proceedings of the conference held 1-5 June, 2008, in St Louis, Missouri, USA, in Conjunction with the 212th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society Edited by Michael G Gibbs, Jonathan Barnes, James G Manning, and Bruce Partridge San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2008, p415, [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "NASA Family Science Night: Changing perceptions one family at a time.", Advances in Space Research, [10.1016/j.asr.2008.01.004] [Journal Article/Letter]

2007. "Bringing the Universe into the Community: Afterschool Astronomy and You.", American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #211, #9402; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 39, p892, [Journal Article/Letter]

2007. "Family Science Night, Changing Perceptions one Family at a Time.", American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2007, abstract #ED41C-06, [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Hera: Using NASA Astronomy Data in the Classroom.", 2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #21814; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 38, p1201, [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "The Beyond Einstein Explorers' Program (BEEP) Getting Astronomers Involved in Afterschool Activities.", 2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #7301; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 38, p989, [Journal Article/Letter]

2004. "Astro-E2 education and public outreach program.", 35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly Held 18 - 25 July 2004, in Paris, France, p3137, [Journal Article/Letter]

1999. "The Soft X-Ray Luminosity Function of Polars.", Annapolis Workshop on Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables, ASP Conference Series, [Journal Article/Letter]

Non-Refereed

2007. "Family Science Night: Changing Perceptions One Family at a Time.", American Astronomical Society Meeting 210, #0503; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 38, p100, [Proceedings]

Contact Us

For general inquiries about the Sciences and Exploration Directorate.

Jocelyn Lynch

Project Support Specialist

301-286-6066 jocelyn.m.lynch@nasa.gov
Ellie Jeffries

Project Support Specialist

301-286-6066 ellie.jeffries@nasa.gov
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