NASA Chief Technologist

Bhavya Lal
NASA Portrait of Bhavya Lal
NASA (acting) Chief Technologist
Appointed
Assumed office
2021
Preceded byDouglas Terrier

The Chief Technologist is the most senior technology position at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Chief Technologist serves as the principal advisor to the NASA Administrator in technology policy and programs, and as interface to the national and international engineering community.[1] The position helps "communicate how NASA technologies benefit space missions and the day-to-day lives of Americans."[2]

History

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The Chief Technologist position was created to advise the NASA Administrator on budget, strategic objectives, and current content of NASA's technology programs. The Chief Technologist works closely with appropriate representatives of the NASA Strategic Enterprises and the Field Centers, as well as advisory committees and the external community. The Chief Technologist represents the Agency's technology objectives and accomplishments to other federal agencies, industry, academia, other government organizations, the international community, and the general public. "The Chief Technologist leads NASA technology transfer and technology commercialization efforts, facilitating internal creativity and innovation." He also "coordinates, tracks and integrates technology investments across the agency and works to infuse innovative discoveries into future missions."[2]-

The position was created in 2010 by NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden.[3] The first three Chief Technologists were aerospace engineering professors whose universities (specified below) entered into an intergovernmental personnel agreement with NASA. Douglas Terrier, was the NASA Johnson Space Center Chief Technologist before becoming the Agency Chief Technologist.

On November 1, 2021 the Office of the Chief Technologist and the Office of Strategic Engagements and Assessments were merged into the new Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS). Bhavya Lal was appointed to serve as OTPS’s new Associate Administrator. The role of the NASA Chief Technologist was changed to one of a staff position in the newly created OTPS. Douglas Terrier was reassigned to NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston to serve in a newly created position as the associate director for vision and strategy. In the interim, Lal will serve as acting chief technologist.[4]

List of Chief Technologists

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References

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  1. ^ "Office of the Chief Technologist About Us". NASA. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Mason Peck, Chief Technologist". NASA. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "NASA Chief Technologist Braun Returning to Georgia Tech". News Releases. NASA. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Margetta, Robert (2021-11-01). "New Roles, Combined Offices for NASA Administrator Leadership Team". NASA. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  5. ^ "Robert D. Braun, NASA Chief Technologist". Office of the Chief Technologist. NASA. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Robert D. Braun, Director for Planetary Science". NASA JPL. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  7. ^ "NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun Statement About NRC Interim Report On NASA's Draft Space Technology Roadmaps". NASA. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Joseph Parrish, NASA Chief Technologist (Acting)". NASA. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  9. ^ "NASA Administrator Names Peck Agency's Chief Technologist". NASA. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Mason Peck Biography". Cornell University. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  11. ^ "NASA Names David W. Miller as Agency's New Chief Technologist". NASA. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Chief Technologist". mit.edu. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  13. ^ "David Miller Maniac Lecture". NASA Earth Sciences. NASA. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  14. ^ "The People of AeroAstro: Professor David Miller". AeroAstro. MIT. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Technology, Innovation, & Engineering Committee of the NASA Advisory Council" (PDF). OTC. NASA. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  16. ^ "Office of the Chief Technologist Update" (PDF). NASA. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  17. ^ "New Science Deputy Associate Administrator". NASA. 21 December 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  18. ^ "Dennis J. Andrucyk Maniac Lecture". NASA. 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  19. ^ "Douglas Terrier, Chief Technologist". NASA.gov. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  20. ^ "Douglas Terrier". LinkedIn. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  21. ^ "NASA Acting Chief Technologist Douglas Terrier Speaks About Technology Challenges". NASA. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  22. ^ "NASA Chief Technologist Douglas Terrier and Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield". NASA. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2021.