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Department: Science

Gabriele Betancourt-Martinez

Gabriele Betancourt-Martinez is a program officer for the Science program at the Heising-Simons Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2021, Gabriele performed research in X-ray instrumentation and laboratory astrophysics as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie in Toulouse, France. Previously, she was a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow …

Rachel Tuggy

Rachel Tuggy is a program associate for the Science program at the Heising-Simons Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2021, Rachel was a project lead at Digital NEST, a nonprofit in the Central Coast that builds young people’s professional confidence through workshops and resources. Previously, Rachel was a fellow of the Everett Program, a …

Emily Schaller

Emily Schaller is a program officer for the Science program at the Heising-Simons Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2021, Emily worked for 10 years as a program manager at NASA where she directed STEM education and outreach programs for the Earth Science Division. She previously worked as a NASA Hubble Postdoctoral Fellow, studying …

Monica Takama

Monica Takama is a program associate for the Science program at the Heising-Simons Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2019, Monica served as an affordable housing specialist, where she worked with low-income residents to qualify for local housing programs in the East Bay and San Francisco regions. She is currently studying psychology at San …

Jochen Marschall

Jochen Marschall is a program officer for Science at the Heising-Simons Foundation. Joining the Foundation in 2015, his prior experience includes 15 years as a senior research scientist in the Molecular Physics Laboratory of SRI International where he conducted research in materials science, aerospace, heat transfer, surface chemistry, chemical physics, and planetary science. He also …

Cyndi Atherton

Cyndi Atherton is the director of the Science program at the Heising-Simons Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2013, Cyndi was a science program director at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, where she oversaw portfolios that included astronomy, condensed matter physics, seismology, and other physical sciences. She earned her Ph.D. in atmospheric science …