Holli Riebeek: Sees the Whole World From Her Desk

Originally posted on the NASA.gov website on June 2nd, 2015. This article has not been removed from the NASA.gov website as part of the Trump administrations efforts to remove all traces of DEI but was archived just-in-case.

Written by Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Name: Holli Riebeek
Title: Education and Communication Lead
Organization: Code 610, Earth Science Division, Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Education and communication lead Holli Riebeek leverages the creative talents of the Earth Sciences Division.

What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?

I help coordinate the education, communication and outreach efforts for the Earth Science Division. We have a lot of good people doing this work and my task is to facilitate their success through communication and collaboration to make our work more efficient and effective.

I also do outreach for the division. In collaboration with the Office of Education, I recently organized a workshop for teachers. We invited 26 high school and middle school teachers to come to Goddard for a week to learn from our Earth scientists and education professionals.

I am a science writer at heart. I love learning about new science and figuring out how to explain it in simple ways. I’m always happy to edit and advise people about their writing.

What is your next big project?

Since I’m relatively new to this position, I’m still learning what everyone does and how everyone’s contributions can be shared and leveraged.

Your role is very diplomatic. What are your secrets?

Communication. We have incredibly talented individuals doing education and communication for the Earth science division. For now I am focusing on trying to make sure everyone knows what everyone else is doing. Our community will communicate NASA Earth science more successfully if we can support each other, and open communication is the first step toward collaboration.

Do you have a science background?

I have a bachelor’s degree in physics, but I realized that I didn’t want to spend all my time in a lab and that I really enjoyed working with people. I became interested in science communication, so I went to graduate school for a master’s in technical communication with an emphasis in science.

How did you come to work at Goddard and what are some of the jobs you have held?

I saw a job at Goddard posted on the National Association of Science Writers’ job board, applied and then got very lucky. I moved to the Washington, D.C., region to work for Goddard’s Earth Observatory website, an on-line magazine about NASA Earth science: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov.

I gradually transitioned into education and public outreach for the Terra mission and then Landsat Data Continuity Mission, which launched in February 2013. I moved into my current job in June, essentially continuing my efforts at the directorate level.

What is one of the most unusual aspects of your job?

For the past five or so years, I have organized the Education and Public Outreach Colloquium. Once a month, I bring in a speaker who talks about an aspect of education or communication – everything from scientific presentations, data visualization, and graphic design to storytelling, education and policy. What’s fun about the colloquium is that it brings a wide range of people who offer fresh and unique perspectives. One speaker screened a film at Goddard. Another came wearing a dress made from fabric she had designed using NASA satellite images. I especially enjoy the talks that show the positive impact of science education on individuals. We can learn a lot about communication from different fields.

What is one of the neatest things about your job?

I joke that I get to see the whole world every day and who else gets to do that at work? It’s a hazard of my job that I get to learn about so many fascinating places through the view from space—my list of travel dream destinations grows longer by the day.

Seriously though, the best part of my job is that I am always learning. I know it’s what everyone at Goddard says, but I love that I work with some of the top scientists and engineers in the world. When I have a question about some aspect of climate change, for example, I just walk down the hall and ask one of several leading experts. Nearly everyone takes the time to explain his or her work to me so I can explain the concept to the public. I’m getting private tutoring from the best in the field. I really enjoy these informal, hallway conversations which could only take place at Goddard.

What advice would you give to someone about to talk about our science at a local school?

Get to know the education and public outreach specialists for your mission or division. They will all have good suggestions for you. Then, take a look at NASA Wavelength, a digital library of educational resources searchable by topic and student age: http://nasawavelength.org.

Do you have a favorite way or place to kick back, relax or have fun?

I am from Idaho, and my favorite place has to be the Sawtooth Mountains in central Idaho. Here in the East, I’m happy being outside surrounded by nature. I also really enjoy the theater and music scene in D.C.