Physical Scientist at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information

Alisa Young, the 2009-10 UPS ARCS Scholar, completed her PhD in Philosophy, Earth, and Atmospheric Science at Georgia Tech in 2011. During her PhD work and immediately after completion, Alisa worked as an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Science and Studies program at nearby Spelman College. She taught courses such as Introduction to Environmental Science lecture and labs, Global Environmental Change, Atmospheric Science, and Introduction to Environmental Research and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Currently, Alisa works as a science program manager for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is a federal agency under the Department of Commerce. Alisa works in the Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) as the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Program Lead Scientist. As part of NOAA’s mission, she launches satellites with instruments for remote sensing capturing various details of oceans, atmosphere, and space as they relate to observing the sun. In addition to her role at NOAA, Alisa is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Community College of Denver, teaching courses in calculus-based physics. She is also on the board of the Colorado Association for Black Professional Engineers and Scientists (CABPES). Since completing her PhD, Alisa has published seven papers on climate change and data product development. 

“I am thankful for the UPS support early in my career. Through my work with the Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists, I am paying it forward by working with minority communities to improve their STEM aptitude and academic performance.” -Alisa Young, 2009-10 ARCS Atlanta Scholar