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The NASA Ames Science Directorate acknowledges the exceptional work of Sungshin Choi, Yi-Chun Chen, Emma Yates, and Eduardo Bendek (pictured left to right). Their dedication exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit, technical skill, and collaborative mindset essential for exploring our planet and beyond.
Sungshin Choi serves as a Project Scientist with Amentum in the Space Biosciences Division. She is recognized for her sustained support of numerous space‑biology flight investigations—past, present, and future—including CBIOMES, ODYSSEY, and the recent Space Algae II. Sungshin champions high‑quality science and acts as a tireless advocate for the principal investigators she represents.
Yi‑Chun Chen, also a Project Scientist with Amentum in the Space Biosciences Division, is honored for her exemplary support of multiple space‑biology activities such as MeF1, GEARS, and the ELISA MABL (Enzyme‑Linked Immunosorbent Assay – Microgravity Associated Bone Loss) flight investigations. Her dedication and problem‑solving ability enable her teams to achieve success.
Emma Yates is a research scientist with the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute in the Earth Science Division. She has been instrumental in advancing NASA’s Ozone Where We Live (OWWL) project by leading community engagement, cultivating citizen‑science partnerships, and directing field deployments across California. Her work expands access to NASA science while establishing innovative, community‑based air‑quality monitoring networks that support Earth‑science research and public outreach.
Eduardo Bendek is an optical scientist with the SETI Institute in the Astrophysics Branch of the Space Science and Astrobiology Division. In support of the Ames Coronagraph Testbed (ACT), Eduardo developed several options for ACT first‑light experiments, consulted with various stakeholders, and delivered a comprehensive presentation to project management outlining the path forward. His outstanding support of the ACT project is vital to its success as Ames advances this near‑infrared testbed for the Habitable Worlds Observatory.
