NASA Chief Technologist explained

Bhavya Lal
Office:	NASA (acting) Chief Technologist
Status:	Appointed
Term Start:	2021
Predecessor:	Douglas 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

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."-

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

• Bobby Braun of Georgia Tech, February 3, 2010 to September 30, 2011^{[5] [6]}
• (Acting) Joseph Parrish, October 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011 ^{[7] [8]}
• Mason Peck of Cornell, January 1, 2012 to 2013^{[9] [10]}
• Dave Miller of MIT, March 2014 to 2016^{[11] [12] [13] [14] [15]}
• (Acting) Dennis J. Andrucyk, 2016 to January 17, 2017^{[16] [17] [18]}
• Douglas Terrier, 2017 to October 31, 2021^{[19] [20]}
  • Terrier served as Acting Chief Technologist from 2017 to 2018^{[21] [22]}
• (Acting) Bhavya Lal, November 1, 2021 to present

Notes and References

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