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Old 13-February-2007, 07:04 PM
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Default Alan Stern Selected to Lead NASA Science Mission Directorate

Alan Stern Selected to Lead NASA Science Mission Directorate

Quote:
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced Monday that Dr. S. Alan Stern will be the agency's associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, effective April 2. Stern succeeds Dr. Mary L. Cleave who announced her retirement.

Stern joins NASA from the Southwest Research Institute's Space Science and Engineering Division, Boulder, Colo., where he has been serving as executive director of the Space Science and Engineering Division.

As chief executive of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Stern will direct a wide variety of research and scientific exploration programs for Earth studies, space weather, the solar system and the universe beyond. In addition, he will manage a broad spectrum of grant-based research programs and spacecraft projects to study Earth and the universe.
Stern is the Principal Investigator for the New Horizons Pluto mission, and that's just the latest of a long list of credits. This is a good thing.
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Old 14-February-2007, 09:11 AM
CuddlySkyGazer CuddlySkyGazer is offline
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It still won't get Pluto restored to 'ninth planet' status!

I suspect Stern will be a 'poacher turned gamekeeper' (he wouldn't have been appointed if he was going to cause trouble for Griffin). His cancelling programs based on lack of scientific utility will be less easy to attack! (Just because he's a planetary scientist doesn't mean he's in favour of all scientific missions.)
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Old 14-February-2007, 12:18 PM
djellison djellison is offline
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He's one of the good guys - believe me. A really nice guy - generous with his time, lets people on his NH team share things with the enthusiast community and so on....I'm over the moon (metaphorically of course) about this.

Doug
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Old 26-March-2008, 09:44 PM
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That didn't last long:

Quote:
NASA Administrator Announces Science Mission Directorate Leadership Changes

NASA Administrator Michael D. Griffin issued the following statement Wednesday regarding the announcement that Dr. S. Alan Stern, NASA associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, has decided to leave the agency.

"Alan has rendered invaluable service to NASA as the Principal Investigator for the Pluto/New Horizons mission, as a member of the NASA Advisory Council, and as the associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate. While I deeply regret his decision to leave NASA, I understand his reasons for doing so, and wish him all the best in his future
endeavors."

Griffin also announced that Dr. Edward J. Weiler, director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., will serve as interim associate administrator.

Weiler was appointed to Goddard in August 2004. Previously, he had served as the associate administrator for the agency's Space Science Enterprise from 1998 to 2004.

Prior to his selection as associate administrator, Weiler served as the director of the Astronomical Search for Origins Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. He also served as the chief scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope from 1979 until 1998. Weiler joined Headquarters in 1978 as a staff scientist and was promoted to the chief of the Ultraviolet/Visible and Gravitational Astrophysics Division in 1979.

"Though we regret Alan's departure, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Ed Weiler back to NASA HQ once again to assume the mantle of SMD leadership. With his experienced guidance, science at NASA will continue to thrive," said Griffin.

A native of Chicago, Weiler earned his doctorate in Astrophysics from Northwestern University in 1976.
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Old 26-March-2008, 10:29 PM
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I'm encountering rumors online that Stern resigned rather than preside over massive cuts to one or more science programs. So there may be more bad news to come.
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Old 26-March-2008, 10:38 PM
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Looks like the Nobelist John Mather has also decided to leave NASA.
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