Ashlee Autore grew up in northwest New Jersey, USA living in various parts of the country from Delaware to Louisiana, before settling in Virginia to work for NASA Langley as a contractor. Autore currently works for the My NASA Data project.

Autore maintains the front end of the My NASA Data website: https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/. With her scientific background and expertise, she creates map-based learning materials for the public to use. She also analyzes citizen science data submitted via the GLOBE Observer app and compares it to satellite data. Together, using GLOBE and My NASA Data, Autore looks for any interesting correlations that can be further explored and become the focus of a scientific article.

Growing up, Autore was always entertained watching thunderstorms from her back porch; but it would be much later that she would find a career in the sciences relating to her love of meteorology. She was exposed to the medical side of science from her mother, who was a nurse, and was inspired to study biomedical engineering in college. After taking an elective course in weather, her childhood passion was reignited and Autore quickly switched majors to reflect her love for Earth science!

In her spare time, Autore loves to stay active. She’s an early riser and enjoys weightlifting before heading off to work, and after work she’ll play volleyball or run a 5K. On weekends, she’s a volunteer at the local dog shelter and spends time with her own pets, all of which have scales!

  

When asked about her work comparing GLOBE Observer data with that of satellite imagery, she said that it is “[r]eally neat being able to see what agrees, and then think about why.”

Autore advocates for accessible data that promotes fresh ideas and valuable scientific advancements that otherwise wouldn’t happen. “Without citizen science, there is no science for the citizens,” she explains. This accessibility allows people of all ages to participate in scientific inquiry; which is especially important for kids who are interested in scientific processes. In this way, kids can understand the various options and seek out new ideas. “If you think science isn’t for you, then you’re just not in the right field of science! It’s practically limitless, so keep looking until you find something that excites you,” she urges.

In her own career, Autore is inspired by the observers who collect the data for My NASA Data, explaining that helping make science more accessible for all is “a great feeling.” She’s also inspired by future analysts, knowing that her data analysis can and will be expanded upon in the future as we learn more about atmospheric interactions.

Autore looks to the following quote as encouragement, “In every exchange we either give life or we take it, there is no neutral exchange.” She believes this rings true not only for personal interactions but also societal encounters and relationships with the environment. “We can choose to respect it and each other, or face some consequences,” she writes.