{{short description|American planetary scientist}} {{Use American English|date=March 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Amy A. Simon | image = Amy Headshot2023.jpg | image_size = 300px | birth_date = October 1971 | birth_place = Union, New Jersey, U.S. | field = Planetary atmospheres<br />Robotic exploration | workplaces = Cornell University<br />Goddard Space Flight Center | alma_mater = Florida Institute of Technology<br />New Mexico State University | children = 1 son | caption = Amy Simon in 2023 }}
'''Amy Simon''' is an American planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, involved in several missions of the Solar System Exploration Program.<ref name="MPC-object"/>
== Education == Simon is from Union Township, Union County, New Jersey,<ref>[https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/people/842/amy-simon/ Amy Simon: Planetary Scientist], NASA. Accessed September 13, 2018. "[Q] Where are you from? [A] I am originally from Union, N. J."</ref> where she attended Union High School.<ref>Parkinson, Claire L.; Millar, Pamela S.; and Thaller, Michelle (editors) [https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/pdf/613194main_WomenOfGoddard_book.pdf#page=113 ''Women of Goddard: Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics''] NASA Goddard Space Flight Center July 2011, p. 111 Accessed September 13, 2018 "Amy Simon-Miller Union High School, Union, New Jersey"</ref> She earned a bachelor's degree in Space Sciences from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1993 <ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sed/bio/amy.simon|title=Bio - Amy A. Simon|website=science.gsfc.nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|access-date=2018-08-19}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> and was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma. She completed her doctoral studies in astronomy at the New Mexico State University in 1998.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/directory/alumni/|title=NMSU Astronomy Alumni|website=astronomy.nmsu.edu|access-date=2018-06-04|date=October 2015|archive-date=28 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728002849/http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/directory/alumni/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Upon graduation, she became a postdoctoral research scientist at Cornell University.
== Career == Simon is a Senior Scientist in the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, having joined NASA as a civil servant in 2001. She served as the Chief of the Planetary Systems Laboratory from 2008 to 2010 and the Associate Division Director from 2010 to 2013.<ref name=":0"/>
Her scientific research involves the study of the composition, dynamics, and cloud structure in jovian planet atmospheres, primarily from spacecraft observations, and as of 2023, she has authored more than 160 peer-reviewed publications.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ijrpmTgAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao|title=Google scholar profile: Amy A. Simon|publisher=Google Scholar|access-date=2018-08-16}}</ref>
Simon's experiences has consisted her of being a part of robotic flight missions and future mission concept development.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amy Simon - NASA Science |url=https://science.nasa.gov/people/amy-simon/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Works == Her contributions include the first detailed study of the changing shape of Jupiter's Great Red Spot, as well as the discoveries of several types of waves in the atmosphere of Jupiter.<ref name=":4">{{cite journal|title=New Observational Results Concerning Jupiter's Great Red Spot|journal=Icarus|volume=158|issue=1|pages=249–266|doi=10.1006/icar.2002.6867|year=2002|last1=Simon-Miller|first1=A. A |last2=Gierasch|first2=P. J.|last3=Beebe|first3=R. F.|last4=Conrath|first4=B.|last5=Flasar|first5=F. M.|last6=Achterberg|first6=R. K.|bibcode=2002Icar..158..249S}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{cite journal |title=Historical and Contemporary Trends in the Size, Drift, and Color of Jupiter's Great Red Spot|journal=Astronomical Journal|volume=155|issue=4|page=151|doi=10.3847/1538-3881/aaae01|year=2018|last1=Simon |first1=Amy A.|last2=Tabataba-Vakili|first2=F.|last3=Cosentino|first3=R.|last4=Beebe|first4=R. F.|last5=Wong|first5=M. H.|last6=Orton|first6=G. S.|bibcode=2018AJ....155..151S|s2cid=126147959 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/jupiters-great-red-spot-getting-taller-as-it-shrinks|title=Jupiter's Great Red Spot Getting Taller as it Shrinks, NASA Team Finds|website=nasa.gov|publisher=NASA |date=12 March 2018|access-date=2018-03-13}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Her analysis of ''Voyager 2'', ''Cassini-Huygens'', Hubble Space Telescope and ''New Horizons'' images led to the discovery of several new classes of Jupiter atmospheric waves.<ref name=":7">{{cite journal|title=A New, Long-Lived, Jupiter Mesoscale Wave Observed at visible Wavelengths|journal=Astronomical Journal|volume=156|issue=2|page=79|doi=10.3847/1538-3881/aacaf5|pmid=30510304|pmc=6268009|year=2018|last1=Simon|first1=Amy A.|last2=Hueso|first2=R.|last3=Inurrigarro|first3=P.|last4=Sanchez-Lavega|first4=A.|last5=Morales-Juberias|first5=R.|last6=Cosentino |first6=R.|display-authors=et al|arxiv=1807.10692|bibcode=2018AJ....156...79S |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=":8">{{cite journal|title=Small-scale waves on Jupiter: A reanalysis of New Horizons, Voyager, and Galileo data |journal=Geophysical Research Letters|volume=42|issue=8|pages=2612–2618|doi=10.1002/2015GL063433|year=2015|last1=Simon|first1=Amy A.|last2=Li|first2=L.|last3=Reuter|first3=D. C.|bibcode=2015GeoRL..42.2612S|s2cid=129617336 }}</ref><ref name=":9">{{cite journal|title=Longitudinal Variation and Waves in Jupiter's South Equatorial Wind Jet|journal=Icarus|volume=218|issue=2|pages=817–830|doi=10.1016/j.icarus.2012.01.022|year=2012 |last1=Simon-Miller |first1=A. A |last2=Rogers |first2=J. H |last3=Gierasch |first3=P. J |last4=Choi |first4=D. C |last5=Allison |first5=M. D |last6=Adamoli |first6=G. |last7=Mettig |first7=H. J |bibcode=2012Icar..218..817S|hdl=2060/20120007841|s2cid=122840527 |hdl-access=free}}</ref>
Beyond Jupiter, she has studied atmospheric chemistry and dynamics on Saturn, including the north-polar hexagon.<ref name=":10">{{cite journal|title=Meandering Shallow Atmospheric Jet as a Model of Saturn's North-Polar Hexagon|journal=Astrophysical Journal Letters|volume=806|issue=1|page=L18|doi=10.1088/2041-8205/806/1/L18|year=2015|last1=Morales-Juberias|first1=R.|last2=Sayanagi|first2=K. M.|last3=Simon |first3=Amy A.|last4=Fletcher|first4=L. N.|last5=Cosentino|first5=R. G.|bibcode=2015ApJ...806L..18M|s2cid=55193896 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/895420}}</ref> She was also part of a team that observed Neptune using the Kepler space telescope, detecting solar oscillations in light reflected off a planet for the first time.<ref name=":11">{{cite journal|title=Neptune's Dynamic Atmosphere for Kepler K2 Observations: implications for Brown Dwarf Light Curve Analysis|journal=Astrophysical Journal|volume=817|issue=2|page=162|doi=10.3847/0004-637X/817/2/162|pmid=28127087|pmc=5257274|year=2016|last1=Simon|first1=Amy A. |last2=Rowe|first2=J. F.|last3=Gaulme|first3=P.|last4=Hammel|first4=H. B.|last5=Casewell|first5=S. L.|last6=Fortney|first6=J. J.|display-authors=et al|bibcode=2016ApJ...817..162S|arxiv=1512.07090 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=":12">{{cite journal|title=A Distant Mirror: Solar Oscillations Observed on Neptune by the Kepler K2 Mission|journal=Astrophysical Journal Letters|volume=833|issue=1|page=L13|doi=10.3847/2041-8213/833/1/L13|year=2016|last1=Gaulme|first1=P.|last2=Rowe|first2=J. F.|last3=Bedding|first3=T. R.|last4=Benomar|first4=O.|last5=Corsaro|first5=E.|last6=Davies|first6=G. R.|display-authors=et al |arxiv=1612.04287|bibcode=2016ApJ...833L..13G|s2cid=119477700 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
Simon is involved in multiple robotic NASA planetary missions. She was a co-investigator on the ''Cassini-Huygens'' Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) and is the deputy instrument scientist for the OSIRIS-REx Visible and IR Spectrometer (OVIRS), as well as for the Landsat 9 Thermal Infrared Sensor-2 <ref name=":13">{{cite web|url=https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/landsat-9/instruments/landsat-9-science-instrument-details/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407145645/https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/landsat-9/instruments/landsat-9-science-instrument-details/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-04-07|title=Landsat 9 Science Instrument Details|website=landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|access-date=2018-08-19}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> instrument and the deputy principal investigator for the ''Lucy'' spacecraft L'Ralph instrument.<ref name=":14">{{cite web|url=https://lucy.swri.edu/mission/Spacecraft.html|title=The Lucy Spacecraft and Payload|website=lucy.swri.edu|access-date=2018-08-19|archive-date=3 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603145003/http://lucy.swri.edu/mission/Spacecraft.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Since 2014, she has been the principal investigator of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.<ref name=":15">{{cite web|url=https://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/opal/|title=Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy Program |website=archive.stsci.edu|access-date=2018-08-19}}</ref> Her team discovered a new Great Dark Spot on Neptune with Hubble<ref name=":16">{{cite journal|title=A New Dark Vortex on Neptune |journal=Astronomical Journal|volume=155|issue=3|page=117|doi=10.3847/1538-3881/aaa6d6|year=2018|last1=Wong|first1=M. H.|last2=Tollefson|first2=J.|last3=Hsu|first3=A. I.|last4=de Pater|first4=I.|author-link4=Imke de Pater|last5=Simon |first5=Amy A.|last6=Hueso|first6=R.|display-authors=et al|bibcode=2018AJ....155..117W|doi-access=free}}</ref> and has published more than 12 manuscripts from OPAL data.<ref name=":15"/> Her work with OSIRIS-REX led to the discovery of hydrated minerals on the surface of Bennu and earned a NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal.<ref name=":26">{{cite journal|title=Evidence for widespread hydrated minerals on asteroid (101955) Bennu|journal=Nature Astronomy|volume=3|issue=4|pages=332–340|doi=10.1038/s41550-019-0722-2|pmid=31360777|pmc=6662227|year=2019|last1=Hamilton|first1=V. E.|last2=Simon |first2=Amy A.|display-authors=et al|url=http://oro.open.ac.uk/60674/1/Hamilton_et_al_2019.pdf|bibcode=2019NatAs...3..332H|hdl=1721.1/124501}}</ref>
== Explorations == Simon also plans future planetary exploration missions. She served on the National Academy of Sciences' Space Studies Board 2013 Planetary Science Decadal Survey.<ref name=":19">{{cite web|url=http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CompletedProjects/SSB_065878|title=Planetary Science Decadal Survey|publisher=National Academies|access-date=2018-09-07|archive-date=2 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202062540/http://sites.nationalacademies.org/ssb/completedprojects/ssb_065878|url-status=dead}}</ref> She has co-led several mission studies for NASA including Flagship class missions to Enceladus and to the Ice Giants, Uranus, and Neptune.<ref name=":20/">{{cite web|url=https://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/Enceladus_Public_Report.pdf |title=Enceladus: Saturn's Active Ice Moon|website=lpi.usra.edu|access-date=2018-09-07}}</ref><ref name=":21/">{{cite web|url=https://www.lpi.usra.edu/icegiants/mission_study/|title=Ice Giants Mission Planning |website=lpi.usra.edu|access-date=2018-09-07}}</ref> She was the principal investigator for the proposed New Frontiers class Saturn probe mission, SPRITE.
Simon is a member of the American Geophysical Union, the American Astronomical Society, and the Division for Planetary Sciences.
== Honors and awards == *American Geophysical Union, Union Fellow - 2025<ref name=":32">{{cite web|url=https://www.agu.org/honors/announcement/union-fellows|website=agu.org|title=Union Fellows|publisher=AGU|access-date=2025-10-23}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> * American Astronomical Society, Division for Planetary Sciences Claudia J. Alexander Prize - 2023 <ref name=":31">{{cite web|url=https://dps.aas.org/news/aas-division-planetary-sciences-announces-2023-prize-winners|website=dps.aas.org|title=2023 Prize Winners|publisher=DPS|access-date=2023-08-13}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> * Meritorious Senior Professional Presidential Rank Awards - 2022 <ref name="2022 Presidential Rank Awards">{{cite web|url=https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/presidential-rank-awards/2022/presidential-rank-awards-2022.pdf|website=opm.gov|title=2022 Presidential Rank Award Winners|publisher=NASA|access-date=2022-12-06}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> * NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal – 2020 <ref name="renamed_from_30_on_20210524010336">{{cite web|url=https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/solarsystem/awardswon|website=science.gsfcnasa.gov|title=Solar System Exploration Division (690) Awards Won|publisher=NASA|access-date=2021-02-08}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> * John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for Space Science - 2020 <ref name="renamed_from_30_on_20210524010336_2">{{cite web|url=https://scicolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov/Lindsay_Awards.html|website=science.gsfcnasa.gov|title=Lindsay Awards and Lectures|publisher=NASA|access-date=2021-03-05}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> * NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal – 2019 <ref name=":27">{{cite web|url=https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sed/bio/amy.a.simon|title=NASA Bio, Dr. Amy Simon|website=nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|access-date=5 May 2023}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> * NASA Silver Achievement Medal (OVIRS Team) – 2017 * NASA Group Achievement Award (OSIRIS-REx Team) – 2017 * Robert H. Goddard Science Achievement Award (Hubble OPAL Team) – 2016 * Robert H. Goddard Engineering Achievement Award (OVIRS Team) * NASA Exceptional Service Medal – 2016 <ref name=":17">{{cite web|url=https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/awardswon|title=Sciences and Exploration Directorate (600) Awards Won|website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA|access-date=2018-08-17}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> * Robert H. Goddard Exceptional Engineering (OVIRS Team) – 2014 * NASA Exceptional Service Medal – 2014 <ref name=":18">{{cite web|url=https://searchpub.nssc.nasa.gov/servlet/sm.web.Fetch/2014-AHA-Brochure-NASA-People.pdf?rhid=1000&did=1902638&type=released|title=NASA Agency Honor Awards 2014|website=nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|access-date=2018-08-17}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> * Asteroid 84994 Amysimon, discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey in 2003, was named in her honor.<ref name="MPC-object"/> The official {{MoMP|84994|naming citation}} was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 May 2014 ({{small|M.P.C. 88406}}).<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive"/>
== References == {{Portal|Spaceflight}} {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="MPC-object">{{cite web|title=(84994) Amysimon|work=Minor Planet Center|url=https://minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=84994|access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref> <ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive">{{cite web|title=MPC/MPO/MPS Archive|work=Minor Planet Center|url=https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html|access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref> }}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simon, Amy}} Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:American planetary scientists Category:Florida Institute of Technology alumni Category:New Mexico State University alumni Category:People from Union Township, Union County, New Jersey Category:Union High School (New Jersey) alumni Category:American women planetary scientists Category:21st-century American women Category:1971 births