NASA Project Scientist & Plant Scientist, Kennedy Space Center

Dr. Gioia Massa works on food crop production for the International Space Station and future space exploration endeavors.  She led the science team for the initial Veggie hardware validation on the space station.  Currently she heads an interdisciplinary group to study fertilizer and light impacts on yield, nutrition, flavor, and food safety of Veggie-grown crops, and to assess crew behavioral health benefits from space crop growth.  In addition to Veggie, she helps with science needs for other space station hardware and works with external investigators to help their science to function on station.  She also is involved with education and outreach programs related to plants in space and space food production. Gioia has a Ph.D. in Plant Biology and a B.S. in Plant Science.  She also conducted postdoctoral research at Perdue University and Kennedy Space Center.  She has worked in the areas of plant space biology and bioregenerative life support.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. Plant Biology, Penn Stated University
• B.S. Plant Science, Cornell University
  

Professional Experience:

• Plant Scientist & NASA Project Scientist, Kennedy Space Center
• Postdoctoral Research, Plant Space Biology & Bioregenerative life support, Perdue University and Kennedy Space Center