Christopher Scolese

Christopher Scolese, Associate Administrator of NASA

Christopher Scolese is the Associate Administrator of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration and served as that agency's acting Administrator during the period following Michael D. Griffin's resignation, effective January 20, 2009, until Charles F. Bolden, Jr.'s confirmation by the United States Senate, on July 15, 2009.

History

Christopher Scolese worked in industry and the government before being appointed a position at Goddard Space Flight Center in 1987. At the General Research Corporation of McLean, Virginia, he worked as an analyst. He helped out in the development of instruments for the U.S Navy after Hyman Rickover of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) chose him to work at Naval Reactors.

At Goddard Space Flight Center, Scolese served in several positions in the Earth Observing System (EOS) office before becoming the Terra Program Manager and later EOS Program Manager in the late 90's. He also served as Deputy Director of Flight Programs and Projects for Earth Science.

At NASA Headquarters, Scolese became the Deputy Associate Administrator in the Office of Space Science. Later, he returned to Goddard as Deputy Director-Technical, and was promoted to Deputy Director of the Goddard Space Flight Center in August 2004.

In September 2005 he became Chief Engineer at NASA Headquarters, responsible for the overall review and technical readiness of all NASA programs. Scolese was chosen to succeed Rex Geveden as NASA Associate Administrator at the end of July 2007. Geveden and Scolese both served as Deputy Director of Goddard Space Flight Center before being promoted to Chief Engineer of NASA and then to Associate Administrator; Scolese's replacement as Chief Engineer of NASA was also promoted to that position from being Deputy Director of Goddard.

Awards

During his life Scolese has received many awards, such as the Presidential Rank award. He received one medal for Outstanding Leadership at Goddard, and two for the same at NASA, including the 2009 NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

Other positions

Apart from the positions covered above, Christopher Scolese was also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Astrodynamics Technical Committee. At the latter institute he was chairman of the Control Technical Committee and National Capitol Section Guidance Navigation.

External links

• NASA biography
• NASA press release on Scolese replacing Geveden as AA

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Name	Scolese, Christopher
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