Mountain View, California, United States
I recently retired from NASA after more than 40 years of service, where I helped establish the field of astrobiology, co-founded the NASA Astrobiology Institute and later co-founded the NASA Lunar Science Institute (now SSERVI), serving as its director for eight years. Over my career I managed programs at NASA Headquarters—including a joint initiative with the National Cancer Institute on early breast cancer detection, and began my NASA career as a Spacelab payload manager. I’ve been honored with both the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal as well as numerous NASA Group Achievement awards. Most recently, my contribution in science communication to the NASA April 2024 eclipse observation effort was recognized with an Emmy Award and two Webby Awards. I now serve as a Senior Advisor at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business Center for Cooperative Innovation, and hold the distinction of Kentucky Colonel, the highest honor awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, for my work in helping establish their space efforts.
Along with founding director, led development and operations of NLSI. Established international partnership program, bringing 7 nations to partner with NLSI. Successfully transitioned NLSI into Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, broadening institute's scope of planetary bodies to Moon, Near Earth Asteroids and moons of Mars Phobos and Deimos.
Initiated and managed both the Advanced Technology Development and Advanced Environmental Monitoring and Control programs, leading to successful flight tests. Led NASA-National Cancer Institute partnership on development of new technologies for early detection of breast cancer.
Led development and flight of major payload on first international U.S.-Japan Spacelab mission