Jasna Vellovic Pittman: The Scientist Who Ascended to the Stratosphere with NASA

With an interest in science that has accompanied her all her life, she has managed to discover secrets hidden up high in the atmosphere.

Jaime Garvett

Jasna Vellovic Pittman is a Venezuelan, born in Maracaibo, capital of the state of Zulia, in western Venezuela, whose attention has been literally focused on the stratosphere. Vellovic is a scientist with a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from Harvard University. She works together with NASA studying the chemical composition of the Earth's atmosphere. She seeks to understand the origin and concentration of greenhouse gases that accumulate in the atmosphere.

In 2013, Al-Jazeera accompanied Vellovic along with other scientists who, together with NASA, were participating in a data collection mission using two aircraft capable of flying at high altitudes. The planes were a NASA ER-2 and a DC-8 also from the US space agency. The aircraft provided high-altitude observations and samples of the lower stratosphere to send to mission control on Earth. At the same time, a Learjet was making cloud measurements.

Jasna Vellovic works with a team studying data collected from sophisticated instruments on the ER-2. “Hardly any other aircraft is capable of reaching these heights,” explained the scientist. “We have remote sensors that allow us to observe the chemical composition of the atmosphere, the output of convective activity... We are also interested in observing the effects of hurricanes,” she detailed.

Some of her research depends on the use of highly advanced and highly accurate measurement equipment to detect greenhouse gases. And, with the use of mathematical calculations, determine what the concentration of those gases is.

Early interest in science

Vellovic has an extensive resume primarily focused on the field of scientific research. But she has also co-authored numerous scientific publications, has teaching experience, and even volunteers in activities of social impact.

Her interest in science dates back to her teenage years when she studied at the Mater Salvatoris school in her hometown of Maracaibo. She remembers from that time when she was first told about Stephen Hawking. She was in 9th grade and a teacher told them that Hawking had written about black holes in a book called “The History of Time.”

“That very same day I asked my mom to take me to buy the book, and that same night I started reading it. Almost 10 years later, I had the privilege of attending a talk that this genius of physics and mathematics gave at the University of Harvard. A truly unforgettable experience,” she recalled.

Since her chemistry and physics classes at school, this “maracucha” has always been fascinated by the universe. Her academic merits made her worthy of two scholarships at NASA. There she has achieved the privilege of developing several projects financed by the institution.

“Through various research projects, I have learned and developed other fields of education such as computing, programming, electrical and mechanical engineering, graphic design and social communication. Being grounded in the natural sciences helps a lot, but it's not the only way to get involved with NASA. Through my projects, I have met many people with a wide variety of careers, all useful, unique and important”, said the researcher.