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| Jessica Meir | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jessica Meir |
| Nationality | American |
| Birth date | March 1, 1977 |
| Birth place | Caribou, Maine |
| Alma mater | Brown University; Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Harvard Medical School |
| Occupation | Biologist; Researcher; NASA Astronaut |
| Selection | 2013 NASA Astronaut Group |
| Missions | Expedition 61, Vladimir Putin—not allowed |
Jessica Meir Jessica Meir is an American biologist, researcher, and former NASA astronaut known for her work in comparative physiology, marine biology, and human spaceflight. She has conducted fieldwork on marine mammals, led laboratory studies at major research institutions, and served on long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station where she participated in extravehicular activities. Meir's career bridges academic research at institutions such as Harvard Medical School and operational roles with NASA and international partners like Roscosmos.
Meir was born in Caribou, Maine and grew up in a family connected to Sweden and Israel, attending schools that included local public institutions and preparatory programs before matriculating at Brown University. At Brown she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Human Biology, participating in undergraduate research linked to Scripps Institution of Oceanography collaborations. She completed a Ph.D. in Integrative Biology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, affiliated with the University of California, San Diego, and later pursued postdoctoral fellowship work at Harvard Medical School and the Boston Children's Hospital research programs.
Meir's research focused on comparative physiology, diving physiology, and the adaptations of marine mammals to hypoxia, collaborating with researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, and University of Gothenburg. Her peer-reviewed work examined oxygen transport, metabolic suppression, and thermoregulation in species such as seals and emperor penguins, engaging methodologies from field studies in the Antarctic to laboratory experiments using techniques developed at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Harvard Medical School. Meir contributed to interdisciplinary projects funded by agencies including the National Science Foundation and worked with conservation organizations like Marine Mammal Center and research networks linked to Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
Meir was selected as a mission specialist in the NASA Astronaut Group 21 in 2013, joining colleagues from diverse backgrounds at Johnson Space Center and training at facilities including the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and Kennedy Space Center. Her selection followed years of experience in field physiology and laboratory research supported by institutions such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography and fellowships involving Smithsonian Institution-linked programs. During astronaut candidate training she worked with international partners including European Space Agency, Roscosmos, and Canadian Space Agency personnel on spacecraft systems, spacewalk procedures, and long-duration mission operations.
Meir flew to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 61 and related crew rotations, launching aboard a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome and returning after completing scientific experiments and station maintenance. On station she conducted investigations spanning human physiology, cellular biology, and ecological monitoring, operating hardware used in experiments developed in collaboration with laboratories at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Her mission activities included robotics tasks with the Canadarm2, coordination with mission control centers in Houston and Moscow, and participation in education and outreach events coordinated with institutions like Smithsonian Institution and National Air and Space Museum.
Meir performed multiple extravehicular activities on the exterior of the International Space Station, working alongside crewmates from NASA, Roscosmos, and European Space Agency to install hardware, replace equipment, and conduct maintenance on truss segments and external experiments. Her spacewalks involved procedures developed with teams from Johnson Space Center and training at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, and required coordination with flight controllers at Mission Control Center Houston and counterparts in Moscow Mission Control Center.
Meir has participated in public engagement through lectures at institutions such as Brown University, Harvard University, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and appeared on television programs and documentary projects produced by networks including National Geographic and BBC. She engaged in science communication with museums like the American Museum of Natural History and media outlets including The New York Times and NPR, promoting topics related to spaceflight, marine biology, and STEM education in collaboration with organizations like NASA's education office and outreach programs at Smithsonian Institution.
Meir holds citizenship in the United States and has received honors from academic and scientific organizations, including fellowships and awards tied to her work at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Harvard Medical School. She has been recognized by societies such as the American Physiological Society and has contributed to advisory boards associated with marine research centers like Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and conservation groups including Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Meir balances her professional commitments with family life and maintains ties to communities in Maine and research networks across California and Massachusetts.
Category:American astronauts Category:Women astronauts