ESSIC Scientist Andrew Feldman is the newest recipient of the NASA Special Act Award for outstanding support to the Center’s early career personnel as an officer of the NASA Goddard Association of Postdoctoral and Early Career Scientists (NGAPS+). NGAPS+ supports early career researchers at GSFC through networking, mentorship, and fostering inclusivity.
Feldman started working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in July 2021, and shortly after joined NGAPS+. In mid-2022, he became an NGAPS+ officer, primarily serving as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officer and liaison to GSFC 610 (Earth Sciences).
“The research environment and academia can be challenging to navigate by yourself, and especially harder for those in underrepresented groups,” said Feldman, “I was curious about how I can help increase inclusivity and generally help other early career researchers.”
One of Feldman’s key initiatives was helping establish a reporting network at GSFC to provide more accessible pathways for early career researchers facing harassment. This network offers informal options such as anonymous write-ins and private meetings with NGAPS+ officers, alongside a broader network of mid-to-late career bystanders. Feldman also helped draft a code of conduct for NGAPS+ events, aiming to extend its implementation across GSFC.
Feldman also co-led a Work Climate Survey in 2022, gathering feedback from early career researchers on job satisfaction and areas for improvement. The results were shared with GSFC leadership, sparking important discussions on enhancing workplace conditions, particularly in divisions with higher reported issues.
“I was proud of this process because it identified both what was going well and what wasn’t, which was of great interest to different division leaders. We held more intensive discussions with divisions that had more occurrences of undesirable activities that deter early career retention at GSFC,” said Feldman.
Looking ahead, Feldman plans to extend his work on inclusivity to other NASA projects. He has already co-wrote the code of conduct, diversity equity and inclusion statement, and field safety plans for NASA Adaptation and Response in Drylands (ARID), a potential NASA field campaign. He is also facilitating more NASA engagement with Tribal Nations especially in the western U.S. and Great Plains.
“Being in [NGAPS+] reminded me of another reason I love working at GSFC and ESSIC: The people I work with (early-to-late career) care about each other and want to help,” said Feldman “I also learned some awesome techniques to improve inclusivity elsewhere – within my service to this group, it was equally a great education for me.”
