Dr. Alexa Halford

Alexa Halford is a perfect example of what happens when you study in Minnesota and develop a passion for space. Now a space physicist, she earned her PhD in Australia, which occasionally leads her to say “x, y, zed” instead of “x, y, zee.”

Currently, she serves as the NASA Goddard Ionosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere Lab chief, heading the most “down to Earth” lab in NASA’s heliophysics division—though she and her team still spend most days with their heads in the clouds.

When she’s not enthusiastically discussing plasma waves, you’ll likely find her at a local bookstore coffee shop or tending to her garden.