Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
APPENDIX F
399
ABIGAIL A. SHEFFER joined the SSB in fall 2009 as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy
Graduate Fellow to work on the report Visions and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 20132022. She continued with the SSB to become an associate program officer. Dr. Sheffer earned her Ph.D.
in planetary science from the University of Arizona and her A.B. in geosciences from Princeton University.
Since coming to the SSB, she has worked on several studies, including Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth
Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies, Assessment of Impediments to Interagency Collaboration
on Space and Earth Science Missions, and The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth’s Climate: A Workshop
Report.
MAUREEN MELLODY has been a program officer with the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
(ASEB) since 2002, where she has worked on studies related to NASA’s aeronautics research and development program, servicing options for the Hubble Space Telescope, and many other projects in space and
aeronautics. Previously, she served as the 2001-2002 AIP Congressional Science Fellow in the Office of
Representative Howard L. Berman (D-Calif.), focusing on intellectual property and technology transfer.
Dr. Mellody also worked as a postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Michigan in 2001. She
received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in applied physics from the University of Michigan and her B.S. in
physics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
LEWIS B. GROSWALD, research associate, joined the SSB as the Autumn 2008 Lloyd V. Berkner Space
Policy Intern. Mr. Groswald is a graduate of George Washington University, where he received a master’s
degree in international science and technology policy and a bachelor’s degree in international affairs,
with a double concentration in conflict and security and Europe and Eurasia. Following his work with the
National Space Society during his senior year as an undergraduate, Mr. Groswald decided to pursue a
career in space policy, with a focus on educating the public on space issues and formulating policy. He
has worked on NRC reports covering a wide range of topics, including near-Earth objects, orbital debris,
life and physical sciences in space, and planetary science.
CATHERINE A. GRUBER, editor, joined the SSB as a senior program assistant in 1995. Ms. Gruber first
came to the NRC in 1988 as a senior secretary for the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board
and also worked as an outreach assistant for the National Science Resources Center. She was a research
assistant (chemist) in the National Institute of Mental Health’s Laboratory of Cell Biology for 2 years. She
has a B.A. in natural science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
DANIELLE PISKORZ, a Fall 2011 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern in the SSB, graduated from MIT with
a degree in physics and a minor in applied international studies. She worked on various research projects
at L’Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, LANL, and JPL and spent her junior year studying at the University
of Cambridge. Ms. Piskorz began graduate studies in Fall 2012 in geophysics.
LINDA M. WALKER, a senior project assistant, has been with the NRC since 2007. Before starting with
the SSB, she was on assignment with the National Academies Press. Prior to working at the NRC, she was
with the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy in Falls Church, Virginia. Ms. Walker has 28 years of
administrative experience.
TERRI BAKER was a senior program assistant with the SSB until April 2012. She came to the SSB from the
National Academies’ Center for Education. Mrs. Baker has held numerous managerial, administrative, and
coordinative positions.
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
APPENDIX F
399
ABIGAIL A. SHEFFER joined the SSB in fall 2009 as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy
Graduate Fellow to work on the report Visions and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 20132022. She continued with the SSB to become an associate program officer. Dr. Sheffer earned her Ph.D.
in planetary science from the University of Arizona and her A.B. in geosciences from Princeton University.
Since coming to the SSB, she has worked on several studies, including Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth
Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies, Assessment of Impediments to Interagency Collaboration
on Space and Earth Science Missions, and The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth’s Climate: A Workshop
Report.
MAUREEN MELLODY has been a program officer with the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
(ASEB) since 2002, where she has worked on studies related to NASA’s aeronautics research and development program, servicing options for the Hubble Space Telescope, and many other projects in space and
aeronautics. Previously, she served as the 2001-2002 AIP Congressional Science Fellow in the Office of
Representative Howard L. Berman (D-Calif.), focusing on intellectual property and technology transfer.
Dr. Mellody also worked as a postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Michigan in 2001. She
received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in applied physics from the University of Michigan and her B.S. in
physics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
LEWIS B. GROSWALD, research associate, joined the SSB as the Autumn 2008 Lloyd V. Berkner Space
Policy Intern. Mr. Groswald is a graduate of George Washington University, where he received a master’s
degree in international science and technology policy and a bachelor’s degree in international affairs,
with a double concentration in conflict and security and Europe and Eurasia. Following his work with the
National Space Society during his senior year as an undergraduate, Mr. Groswald decided to pursue a
career in space policy, with a focus on educating the public on space issues and formulating policy. He
has worked on NRC reports covering a wide range of topics, including near-Earth objects, orbital debris,
life and physical sciences in space, and planetary science.
CATHERINE A. GRUBER, editor, joined the SSB as a senior program assistant in 1995. Ms. Gruber first
came to the NRC in 1988 as a senior secretary for the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board
and also worked as an outreach assistant for the National Science Resources Center. She was a research
assistant (chemist) in the National Institute of Mental Health’s Laboratory of Cell Biology for 2 years. She
has a B.A. in natural science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
DANIELLE PISKORZ, a Fall 2011 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern in the SSB, graduated from MIT with
a degree in physics and a minor in applied international studies. She worked on various research projects
at L’Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, LANL, and JPL and spent her junior year studying at the University
of Cambridge. Ms. Piskorz began graduate studies in Fall 2012 in geophysics.
LINDA M. WALKER, a senior project assistant, has been with the NRC since 2007. Before starting with
the SSB, she was on assignment with the National Academies Press. Prior to working at the NRC, she was
with the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy in Falls Church, Virginia. Ms. Walker has 28 years of
administrative experience.
TERRI BAKER was a senior program assistant with the SSB until April 2012. She came to the SSB from the
National Academies’ Center for Education. Mrs. Baker has held numerous managerial, administrative, and
coordinative positions.