Station Nation: Meet Meg Everett! International Space Station Program Deputy Chief Scientist

In honor of Women’s History Month, this special edition of the International Space Station Program’s employee spotlight feature, Station Nation, will serve as a two-part series for March highlighting the station program’s lead scientists: Jennifer Buchli and Meg Everett. First up is Meg!

Meg Everett, International Space Station Program deputy chief scientist, supports all of the science that takes place on the space station, from preparing for launch, conducting research, to ensuring science safely returns to Earth. Everett shares her path to NASA, the benefits and impact the research conducted on the space station has to the betterment of life here on Earth, and a few of her favorite things. Read on to learn more!

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Where are you from?

Ballston Spa, New York.

Tell us about your role at NASA.

I am the International Space Station Program deputy chief scientist. In my role, I support research on the space station focused on human health and performance, biological sciences, fundamental science, multiple areas in STEM fields, and technology demonstrations that will extend human presence in low Earth orbit and future exploration destinations.

How would you describe your job to family or friends who may not be as familiar with NASA as employees reading this?

I help make sure all the science on the space station goes smoothly, from preparing for launch, to conducting research on the space station with the scientists and astronauts, and then returning the science to Earth. 

How long have you been working for the agency?

I’ve been working at NASA since 2007. 

What was your path to NASA?

I started my career as a graduate research intern in 2004. After I finished my master’s degree from the University of Houston, I started my career in the human health and performance field. I completed my Ph.D. in kinesiology with a focus in molecular muscle physiology also from the University of Houston while working in the Exercise Physiology Lab at NASA. While working in the exercise physiology laboratory, I conducted several space station and analog research experiments focusing on human performance and optimizing crew health for space station and exploration missions. Prior to my current position, I provided crew health support as the Space Station Program Crew Health and Countermeasures System (CHeCS) Integrator.

Is there someone in the space, aerospace, or science industry that has motivated or inspired you to work for the space program? Or someone you discovered while working for NASA that inspires you? 

My Skidmore College undergraduate advisor, Paul Arciero, was, and still is, one of the most influential people in my life. He inspired my love for research and to really go after what you want and to take the time to figure that out. From his mentorship, I have always strived to live an inspired life, to live life with integrity, and as a role model, whether in my professional or personal life.

When I started my research internship at NASA, I really did not know a lot about spaceflight or the effects on the human body when exposed to microgravity for short or long durations. My graduate school advisor, Dr. Mark Clarke, introduced me to muscle physiology and I was able to conduct research in cell and mouse models of microgravity. My PhD advisor and lead of the Exercise Physiology lab at the time, Dr. Lori Ploutz-Snyder, inspired me to think outside the box, encouraged research and science, and pushed the envelope on what was previously done on the space station in the areas of human physiology.

Who is a woman that inspires you, and why?

All of them! My mom, sister, and best friends. There are lots of women that do amazing things – the ones that I’m most inspired by are the ones closest to me and I know their story and they do big things and small things for everything around them.

What do you wish you had known as a young woman contemplating a career in STEAM?

I had pretty limited exposure and opportunities in STEM growing up. It really was not until college that I started learning more and looking at options. Being exposed to the NASA environment and moving to Houston opened up a whole new world of opportunity for me but it was also very overwhelming. Looking back, I wish I had more exposure to opportunities before college.

What inspirational message or advice would you give to young girls interested in a career in STEAM? 

What is your favorite NASA memory?

There are a lot, but some of my favorites include walking the crew through science experiments from the ground while they are on the space station. Some of these experiments included supporting tests the astronauts were doing in space from the ground such as tests of maximal aerobic fitness or exercising on new devices designed for exploration missions. 

What do you love sharing about station? What’s important to get across to general audiences to help them understand the benefits to life on Earth?

Since my area of expertise is science, I always love sharing the benefits of the orbiting lab to science on Earth. 

The station can be considered a unique environment, which allows for unique discoveries and novel ways of looking at scientific exploration and leads to research findings we could otherwise never explore in the presence of gravity on Earth. Some of the areas of unique capabilities include better understanding climate change and effects of space weather, advances in medical discoveries from remotes medicine capabilities to developing new and more effective pharmaceuticals for diseases here on Earth, and potentially a new market in producing semiconductors in space.

If you could have dinner with any historic female figure, who would it be and why?

I would pick an inspirational female scientist – Dr. Marie Curie and/or Rosalind Franklin.

What are your hobbies/things you enjoy outside of work?

Pretty much anything outside. I enjoy activities such as biking, running, beach, paddleboarding, and one wheeling.

Day launch or night launch? 

Night launch!

Favorite Space Movie?

Wall-E and The Martian are my favorite space movies. 

NASA Worm or Meatball logo?

The NASA Worm.

Every day, we’re conducting exciting research aboard our orbiting laboratory that will help us explore further into space and bring benefits back to people on Earth. You can keep up with the latest news, videos, and pictures about space station science on the Station Research & Technology news page. It’s a curated hub of space station research digital media from Johnson and other centers and space agencies. 

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