Erika Podest
{{Short description|Panamanian earth scientist}}
{{Family name hatnote|Podest|Cardoze|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
File:Erika Podest NASA photo.webp
Erika Podest Cardoze is a Panamanian earth scientist who works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). She held an early interest in ecological systems and technological research, going on to earn degrees in engineering and environmental fields. Joining JPL after earning a Ph.D., she has worked on multiple NASA projects, particularly those involving satellite launches and observations of Earth's ecosystems through satellite imagery, including the Soil Moisture Active Passive and NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites. She has also spent significant time giving conferences and science presentations in Panama and elsewhere in order to increase the amount of children who choose to pursue scientific study.
Childhood and education
Born in Panama to a native Panamanian mother and an Austrian watchmaker father, Podest spent her childhood developing an interest in nature and technology. Her father took her out to explore nature every weekend, including hiking and swimming and locations such as Gatun Lake and Taboga Island.{{cite news |author= |date=19 November 2018 |title=Erika Podest, una científica panameña en la NASA |trans-title=Erika Podest, a Panamanian scientist at NASA |url=https://www.ellas.pa/mundo-ellas/entrevistas/erika-podest-una-cientifica-panamena-en-la-nasa/ |language=Spanish |work=Ellas |access-date=18 July 2024}} She attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to earn a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, before going on to earn a master's degree in applied environmental physics with a thesis on tropical rainforest deforestation and a Ph.D. where she researched the impacts of carbon dioxide on plant growth in high elevation northern latitudes.{{cite news |last=Laden |first=Tanja M. |date=19 May 2011 |title=Erika Podest: The Future Of Weather |url=https://www.laweekly.com/erika-podest-the-future-of-weather/ |work=LA Weekly |access-date=16 July 2024}} During her latter graduate work, she started an eight-month internship with JPL in 2002 to study global ecosystems and remained working there after completing her Ph.D.{{cite news |last=Lasanta |first=Yara |date=5 April 2023 |title=¿Cuánto tiempo le queda al planeta tierra? Científica hispana en la NASA responde con base a sus estudios sobre el medioambiente |trans-title=How much time does planet Earth have left? Hispanic scientist at NASA answers based on her studies on the environment |url=https://www.univision.com/local/los-angeles-kmex/erika-podest-inmigrante-nasa |language=Spanish |work=Univision |access-date=16 July 2024}}{{cite news |last=Grimaldo |first=Rocio |date=7 March 2002 |title=Una panameña en la NASA |trans-title=A Panamanian at NASA |url=https://www.prensa.com/impresa/opinion/panamena-NASA_0_597690346.html |language=Spanish |work=La Prensa |access-date=19 July 2024}}
Career
Once Podest was officially hired by JPL in 2009, she was assigned to the Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems Group to use remote sensing with satellite imagery and radar to determine the effects of climate change on different ecosystems. In 2011, she began working on the Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite mission and was involved in its launch in January 2015. For the ongoing mission, she has been monitoring soil moisture with the satellite to, for one reason, see the impact of climate change on moisture levels globally. In addition, she has been using other satellite data to discover how biodiversity is being affected over time.{{cite news |last=Zorrilla |first=Lissette |date=18 August 2018 |title=La mujer panameña en las ciencias |trans-title=Panamanian women in science |url=https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/variedades/la-mujer-panamena-en-las-ciencias-1113802 |language=Spanish |work=Panamá América |access-date=19 July 2024}} She later was made a member of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission{{cite news |author= |date=28 October 2023 |title=Nasa-Isro radar mission to provide dynamic view of forests |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/nasa-isro-radar-mission-to-provide-dynamic-view-of-forests-wetlands/articleshow/104768891.cms |work=Times of India |access-date=19 July 2024}} and acts as an instructor for NASA's Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) program.{{cite news |last=Sanchez |first=Eduardo Mendieta |date=15 May 2023 |title=Científicos de la NASA instruyen a personal de auxilio de NL y otros estados |trans-title=NASA scientists instruct emergency personnel from NL and other states |url=https://www.milenio.com/ciencia-y-salud/cientificos-nasa-instruyen-nl-personal-auxilio |language=Spanish |work=Milenio |access-date=19 July 2024}}
To promote children's interest in science, particularly in Latin American countries such as her home, Podest has annually attended the Los Angeles "Adelante Mujer Latina" conference. She also frequently returns to Panama to do tours and presentations there on scientific topics.{{cite news |last=Domínguez |first=Yanelis |date=12 April 2016 |title=Científica panameña, experta en el clima |trans-title=Panamanian scientist, climate expert |url=https://www.diaadia.com.pa/relax/cientifica-panamena-experta-en-el-clima-649316 |language=Spanish |work=Dia A Dia |access-date=19 July 2024}} She presented a conference in 2016 on the subject of climate change to Panamanian government officials, local environmentalists, and a large number of students from across the country.{{cite news |author= |date=6 April 2016 |title=Podest y el impacto del cambio climático |trans-title=Podest and the impact of climate change |url=https://www.prensa.com/impresa/vivir/Podest-impacto-cambio-climatico_0_4454554609.html |language=Spanish |work=La Prensa |access-date=19 July 2024}} The Panamanian government sponsored a 15-minute video production in 2020 titled "Mentes Curiosas" (Curious Minds) to air on national television and which prominently featured Podest alongside other NASA scientists.{{cite news |author= |date=6 May 2020 |title=Científicos de la Nasa y entre ellos una panameña contarán su día a día desde el espacio |trans-title=NASA scientists, including a Panamanian, will tell us about their daily life from space |url=https://www.midiario.com/ciencia-y-tecnologia/cientificos-de-la-nasa-y-entre-ellos-una-panamena-contaran-su-dia-a-dia-desde-el-espacio/ |language=Spanish |work=Mi Diario |access-date=19 July 2024}} In 2023, she collaborated with the United States Embassy in Panama and the Panama American Center to promote the "NASA in Panama" initiative that involved Podest traveling to schools across Panama to promote science and space research to children.{{cite news |last=Berna |first=Adriana |date=19 October 2023 |title=Erika Podest: 'Sí hay un futuro en las ciencias' |trans-title=Erika Podest: 'There is a future in science' |url=https://www.laestrella.com.pa/vida-y-cultura/ciencia/erika-podest-hay-futuro-ciencias-LMLE500083 |language=Spanish |work=La Estrella de Panamá |access-date=18 July 2024}}
Awards and honors
For her work, Podest was named one of the most "outstanding Panamanians in science" by the government of Panama.{{cite news |author= |date=2023 |title=Científica panameña de la NASA agradece a Magistrados del TE |trans-title=Panamanian NASA scientist thanks TE Magistrates |url=https://tupolitica.com/tribunal-electoral-panama/cientifica-panamena-de-la-nasa-agradece-a-magistrados-del-te.html/ |language=Spanish |work=TU Politica |access-date=19 July 2024}}
References
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Category:Jet Propulsion Laboratory faculty
Category:21st-century Panamanian women
Category:Panamanian women scientists
Category:Panamanian people of Austrian descent
Category:Environmental scientists