Joseph Masiero

Joseph Masiero is an Associate Research Scientist at IPAC, California Institute of Technology, where he serves as Deputy Principal Investigator for the NEOWISE mission and leads the Moving Object Detection Pipeline development for the upcoming NEO Surveyor Science Data Center. His research focuses on the compositional properties and origins of small solar system bodies, particularly near-Earth and Main Belt asteroids, using photometry, polarimetry, and thermal modeling to trace their evolution and collisional histories.

• Education: B.S. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Penn State University, Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy.

Masiero's work with missions like WISE and NEOWISE has revolutionized asteroid studies by providing diameters, albedos, and compositional insights for thousands of objects. He also explores extrasolar comets like Oumuamua and Borisov, and advocates for public understanding of asteroid hazards through outreach, emphasizing that 'taxpayers have hired experts to worry about these things.'

He collaborates extensively with institutions including NASA, JPL, and observatories such as CFHT and Subaru. His career spans postdoctoral roles at JPL, leadership in reactivating NEOWISE, and ongoing involvement in optimizing asteroid detection systems.