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Curriculum Vitae for Bernie Luna

Brief Bio: 

Dr. Luna has over 25 years experience at NASA, with roles in bioscience disciplines, management, and airborne science. She joined NASA Ames in 1985 to develop and test advanced space suits and portable life support systems. Her engineering work typically involves the interaction of humans with engineering systems. She has been responsible for thermal finite element analyses, biomedical (human) research on thermal regulation, space suit joint testing, underwater space suit testing and biomechanical analyses, catalyst and sorbent materials evaluations, and development and testing of systems for carbon dioxide removal. She served as the lead for Air Revitalization in the Bioengineering Branch, managing several projects concerned with the maintenance of breathable, safe, contaminant-free air in the space cabin. Focused study of a man-made atmosphere, like the space cabin atmosphere, entails some commonality with study of Earth’s atmosphere. So the transition from life support work to Earth Science work came naturally. Dr. Luna now coordinates the efforts of many to perform multi-aircraft missions to investigate the earth’s atmosphere.

Research Interests: 
Project Management, Airborne Science, Environmental Control, Extravehicular Systems, Physiology
Professional Experience: 
2015 - PresentDeputy Director, Earth Science Project Office, NASA Ames Research Center
2015 - PresentProject Manager, ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS (ORACLES), NASA Ames Research Center
2010 - 2015Deputy Project Manager, Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3), NASA Ames Research Center
2010 - 2015Support to various other airborne science efforts: PODEX, MACPEX, Operation Icebridge, GRIP, ATTREX, KORUS, COMEX, CARAFE, NASA Ames Research Center
2005 - 2010ARC Lead for Atmsophere Revitalization element of Exploration Life Support, NASA Ames Research Center
2001 - 2006Associate Director of Science, NASA Ames Research Center
1999 - 2001Assistant Chief of Space Science, NASA Ames Research Center
1998 - 1999PI on investigation entitled, "Electroencephalographic Monitoring of Cognitive Workload”, NASA Ames Research Center
1997 - 2001Program Manager of Multiple Sclerosis Technology Transfer Program, working with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, NASA Ames Research Center
1997 - 1997Acting Branch Chief, EVA and Protective Systems Branch, NASA Ames Research Center
1996 - 1998Space Life Sciences Level II Outreach Program Coordinator, NASA Ames Research Center
1995 - 1999PI on analytical and experimental effort to characterize LiOH chemical bed , NASA Ames Research Center
1988 - 1989Technical Assistant for Aerospace Systems Directorate, NASA Ames Research Center
1985 - 1996EVA and PLSS Engineer, NASA Ames Research Center
Education: 
2007 - PhD (Mechanical Engineering) - Stanford University
1985 - MSME (Mechanical Engineering) - Stanford University
1983 - BSE (Bioengineering) - University of Pennsylvania