March - FY 2021 Issue 5
USRA's Equal Pay Day
By Joan Schmelz, Director of the NASA Postdoctoral Program and Chair of the USRA Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

This year, we in the United States observe Equal Pay Day on March 24. This date symbolizes how far into the year the average woman must work in order to earn what the average man earns in the previous year, regardless of experience or job type. Acknowledging this day helps raise awareness of the historical and continuing gender pay gap.

How Does USRA Compare to the U.S. Average?
 
A Conversation with Carol Kory
Microgravity and Music
This time last year, Carol Kory was starting her role as USRA Director of Microgravity Sciences at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio and also locking down as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the United States. Dr. Kory still hasn’t been able to gather her team for an in-person meeting but work in microgravity sciences continues with Dr. Kory leading USRA’s portion of the GEARS contract. While you may already be familiar with her work with GEARS, you might be surprised to learn about the musical interests of this proud Cleveland native.
Q&A with Dr. Kory
 
Internal News
USRA Annual Report
The FY 2020 USRA Annual Report has been published and is available for you to download from USRA’s newsroom. Within the USRA Press Kit page, you’ll find archived annual reports from FY 2019 and FY 2018. You can also download other materials such as the USRA Fact Sheet and USRA logos. If you have questions about any of these materials, please reach out to Suraiya Farukhi, USRA Director of External Communications.
Download USRA Annual Reports
 
In the News
USRA's Kennda Lynch interviewed by Philadelphia's Radio Times, WHYY
USRA's staff scientist and astrobiologist at LPI, Kennda Lynch and Kenneth Williford, deputy project scientist for the NASA Mars 2020 mission, and director of JPL's astrobiogeochemistry lab were recently interviewed by Radio Times, WHYY, a station  in Philadelphia, on the Mars Perseverance Rover and its mission.
More on newsroom.usra.edu
 
Comet Catalina Suggests Comets Delivered Carbon to Rocky Planets
In 2016, the Comet Catalina hurtled past Earth, before disappearing forevermore out of the solar system. Among the many observatories that captured a view of this comet, which appeared near the Big Dipper, was SOFIA.
More on newsroom.usra.edu
 
USRA's Eleanor Stokes Named a ‘Rising Star’ by the Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars
USRA’s Eleanor Stokes was named a “Rising Star” by the Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars.
More on newsroom.usra.edu
Coming Soon
31 March
Security Training Due
8 April
USRA-wide Virtual Town Hall Meeting
21 April
Administrative Professionals Day
22 April
Earth Day
28 April
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
26 - 30 April
NETS conference - virtual
New hires, anniversaries and awards
Welcome to USRA!
Congrats on your anniversary!
Employee Spot Awards
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Please send newsletter feedback or story suggestions to:

Erin Senoz, Discovery Editor
esenoz@usra.edu
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