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The
Claudia Alexander Scholarship was established for undergraduate students at her alma mater in 2007 by her uncle, Jiles Williams. The scholarship supports need-based students majoring in climate and space sciences and engineering in the University of Michigan's college of engineering.
226:, she became interested in planetary science. Although she had been hired to work in the engineering section, she would sneak off to the science section where she found that not only was she good at the work, but that it was easier and more enjoyable to her than she had expected.
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mission to study and land on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. On the mission she was responsible for $ 35 million in instrumentation, collecting data such as temperature from three instruments on the orbiter. She also oversaw tracking and navigation support from the
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In 2015 scientists from the
European Space Agency's Rosetta mission honored their deceased colleague by naming a feature after her on the mission's target, comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. A gate-like feature on the comet has been named C. Alexander Gate.
357:, "The Compelling Nature of Locomotion and the Strange Case of Childhood Education", describing her approach for educating children about science. She also mentored young people, particularly young girls of color, to encourage their passions for science.
325:", caused scientists to rethink their assumptions that Ganymede was an inactive moon. She was the final project manager for the mission, and oversaw the spacecraft's dive into Jupiter's atmosphere at the mission's conclusion in 2003.
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The
University of Michigan Women in Science and Engineering office gives an annual award in her honor: the Claudia Joan Alexander Trailblazer Award for groundbreaking accomplishments and contributions to STEM.
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before becoming the project manager of the mission in its final phase. The mission discovered 21 new moons of
Jupiter and the presence of an atmosphere on
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She was a strong advocate for women and minorities in the STEM fields and a passionate science communicator. In April 2015, she presented a TEDx talk at
215:; her father was Harold Alfred Alexander (1917-2010), a social worker. Alexander's siblings are Suzanne and David. Alexander was raised by her mother in
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Alexander wanted to be a journalist but her parents—who were paying for her education—wanted her to become an engineer. After a summer job at the
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she was named "U-M Woman of the Year in Human
Relations", and in 2002 she earned the Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Alumni Merit Award.
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In addition to her scientific work, Alexander had a passion for writing. She wrote children's books, including some of the
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957:"CLaSP Giving | Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan, College of Engineering"
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in geophysics, which she thought would be a good background for a planetary scientist. Alexander earned her
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Alexander worked as a researcher on diverse topics, including the evolution and interior physics of
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and until the time of her death had served as project manager and scientist of NASA's role in the
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From 2000 until the time of her death, Alexander served as project scientist of NASA's role in
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The
Compelling Nature of Locomotion | Dr. Claudia Alexander | TEDxColumbiaCollegeChicago
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episodes "A Growing
Problem" and "The Tardigrade Escapade" were released in her memory.
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1029:"Willie Hobbs Moore Awards | U-M LSA Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Program"
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in 1986. She worked as science coordinator for the plasma wave instrument aboard the
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523:"Claudia Alexander dies at 56; JPL researcher oversaw Galileo, Rosetta missions"
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in
Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, specializing in the physics of
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560:"Claudia Alexander, NASA Manager Who Led Jupiter Mission, Dies at 56"
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146:(May 30, 1959 – July 11, 2015) was a Canadian-born American research
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902:"For Rosetta mission's scientists, the thrill is in the comet chase"
687:"Claudia Alexander: Project Manager and Project Scientist | Rosetta"
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321:. The discovery of the atmosphere, more precisely a "surface bound
454:—where she served as chair of the diversity subcommittee— and the
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in geophysics and space physics in 1985. Her masters' thesis used
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776:"Claudia Alexander, Beloved NASA Project Scientist, Dies at 56"
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Emerald Honor for Women of Color in
Research & Engineering
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tennis blog. She also enjoyed traveling and horseback riding.
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826:"Claudia Alexander | People - NASA Solar System Exploration"
802:"Claudia Alexander | People - NASA Solar System Exploration"
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397:. She also wrote science fiction and was a member of the
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mission to Saturn. She wrote and co-authored 14 papers.
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University of Michigan College of Engineering alumni
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Black Engineer & Information Technology Magazine
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Women in Planetary Science interview with Alexander
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Research Scientist Receives National Minority Award
439:by Career Communications Group, Inc.—publisher of
1151:UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science alumni
729:. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
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170:. She was the last project manager of NASA's
16:American geophysicist and planetary scientist
1156:University of California, Los Angeles alumni
1061:NASA Tribute: Claudia Alexander (1959-2015)
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458:, where she was named "Woman of the Year".
1121:Scientists from the San Francisco Bay Area
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390:Which of the Mountains Is Greatest of All?
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1221:21st-century African-American scientists
1211:20th-century African-American scientists
1056:Video: "First Person: Claudia Alexander"
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1131:Deaths from breast cancer in California
1126:Canadian emigrants to the United States
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1181:21st-century American women scientists
1176:20th-century American women scientists
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588:"Journey's End: Last Gasp for Galileo"
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625:Association for Women Geoscientists
586:David, Leonard (21 September 2003).
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428:The year of her graduation from the
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408:On July 11, 2015, Alexander died in
1216:21st-century African-American women
1206:20th-century African-American women
1136:People from Santa Clara, California
1106:American women planetary scientists
708:
520:
497:
456:Association for Women Geoscientists
435:In 2003, Alexander was awarded the
416:, aged 56. She was laid to rest at
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855:"TEDxColumbiaCollegeChicago | TED"
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240:University of California, Berkeley
14:
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1186:African-American women scientists
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1196:21st-century American physicists
1191:20th-century American physicists
1171:21st-century American geologists
1166:20th-century American geologists
752:Scientist keeps an eye on comets
654:"In memoriam: Claudia Alexander"
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1021:
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900:Netburn, Deborah (2014-11-10).
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847:
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652:Lyons, Allison (13 July 2015).
292:United States Geological Survey
160:United States Geological Survey
469:Not long after her death, the
450:Alexander was a member of the
412:after a ten years battle with
234:In 1983, Alexander received a
1:
1101:American planetary scientists
830:NASA Solar System Exploration
806:NASA Solar System Exploration
558:Roberts, Sam (19 July 2015).
490:
385:"Windows to Adventure" series
266:and its interaction with the
198:
521:Woo, Elaine (17 July 2015).
485:Timeline of women in science
229:
7:
1226:African-American physicists
478:
395:Windows to the Morning Star
205:Vancouver, British Columbia
193:Comet Churyumov–Gerasimenko
10:
1242:
1201:Scientists from California
723:"Dr. Claudia J. Alexander"
452:American Geophysical Union
399:Romance Writers of America
306:, before moving to NASA's
54:, British Columbia, Canada
1146:Scientists from Vancouver
1096:American women geologists
878:TEDx Talks (2015-12-03),
420:in San Jose, California.
373:NASA's Deep Space Network
332:, Jupiter and its moons,
308:Jet Propulsion Laboratory
285:
168:Jet Propulsion Laboratory
137:
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355:Columbia College Chicago
290:Alexander worked at the
748:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
727:Windows to the Universe
472:Miles From Tomorrowland
217:Santa Clara, California
1091:American geophysicists
658:University of Michigan
430:University of Michigan
418:Oak Hill Memorial Park
280:University of Michigan
258:variations in extreme
203:Alexander was born in
144:Claudia Joan Alexander
118:U.S. Geological Survey
91:University of Michigan
961:clasp.engin.umich.edu
368:European Space Agency
260:ultraviolet radiation
252:Pioneer Venus Orbiter
158:. She worked for the
1014:JPL Press Release,
934:JPL press release,
691:rosetta.jpl.nasa.gov
627:profile of Alexander
375:for the spacecraft.
300:Ames Research Center
224:Ames Research Center
1111:Women geophysicists
996:on 7 September 2015
986:"Claudia Alexander"
410:Arcadia, California
71:Arcadia, California
1033:www.wise.umich.edu
942:2016-03-04 at the
632:2017-10-30 at the
565:The New York Times
122:Jet Propulsion Lab
907:Los Angeles Times
528:Los Angeles Times
424:Awards and honors
340:, and the planet
270:. She earned her
236:Bachelor's degree
156:planetary science
141:
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108:Planetary science
98:Scientific career
23:Claudia Alexander
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754:" by Dan Malerbo
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150:specializing in
129:Doctoral advisor
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1141:Rosetta mission
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379:Personal life
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63:July 11, 2015
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1036:. Retrieved
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998:. Retrieved
994:the original
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919:. Retrieved
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862:. Retrieved
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809:. Retrieved
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785:. Retrieved
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695:the original
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662:the original
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304:Jovian moons
289:
276:space plasma
233:
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186:
183:European-led
172:
143:
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114:Institutions
97:
65:(2015-07-11)
48:May 30, 1959
1116:NASA people
1086:2015 deaths
1081:1959 births
859:www.ted.com
298:and at the
278:, from the
256:solar cycle
83:UC Berkeley
1075:Categories
1038:2021-03-18
971:2017-10-10
921:2017-10-10
887:2017-10-10
864:2017-10-10
840:2017-10-10
811:2017-10-10
787:2017-10-10
701:2017-10-10
491:References
338:solar wind
315:spacecraft
302:observing
268:solar wind
264:ionosphere
199:Early life
152:geophysics
44:1959-05-30
916:0458-3035
781:Space.com
750:online, "
668:9 January
592:SPACE.com
323:exosphere
294:studying
282:in 1993.
246:from the
238:from the
230:Education
191:to study
148:scientist
52:Vancouver
940:Archived
630:Archived
479:See also
319:Ganymede
244:Master's
1000:21 July
733:21 July
602:21 July
571:21 July
534:21 July
363:Rosetta
347:Cassini
313:Galileo
189:mission
187:Rosetta
179:Jupiter
175:mission
173:Galileo
914:
366:, the
330:comets
286:Career
209:Canada
104:Fields
342:Venus
272:Ph.D.
213:Intel
1002:2015
912:ISSN
735:2015
670:2018
604:2015
573:2015
536:2015
393:and
164:NASA
162:and
154:and
87:UCLA
60:Died
38:Born
177:to
166:'s
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959:.
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759:^
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42:(
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