G. Scott Hubbard, Deputy Director for Research at NASA’s
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., has been
selected as Center Director, effective immediately.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Scott, who is well
respected in both the science and program management
communities,” said Administrator Sean O’Keefe. “Throughout
his career at Ames, Scott has made significant contributions
to the center’s research and program mission goals. I’m
excited about Ames’ future and I know everyone there is ready
to give Scott their full support.”
Hubbard replaces Dr. Henry “Harry” McDonald, who will join
the faculty at the University of Tennessee (UT) at
Chattanooga after assisting with the transition as Hubbard’s
special assistant. McDonald has been named Distinguished
Professor of Computational Engineering at UT.
“I want to express my personal gratitude to Harry for his
valuable service and contributions to Ames. He’s guided Ames
through a critical transition over the last several years,
and the center has emerged with wide-ranging expertise in
science and technology applications,” added Administrator
O’Keefe. “The NASA community is stronger for Harry’s
contributions. I know he is looking forward to new challenges
at Tennessee, where I am sure he will continue to serve with
distinction.”
As Center Director, Hubbard will be responsible for Ames,
which is located in the heart of “Silicon Valley.” Ames was
founded in 1939, as an aircraft research laboratory by the
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which in
1958 became NASA. Ames specializes in research geared toward
creating new knowledge and new technologies that span the
spectrum of the agency’s missions and interests.
In his previous position, Hubbard was responsible for the
organization and oversight of Ames’ research efforts. Hubbard
helped establish NASA’s Astrobiology Institute at Ames, which
addresses fundamental questions about the origin and
evolution of life in the universe, and served as its initial
Director.
He is widely acknowledged as the originator of the highly
successful Mars Pathfinder mission concept and was the
project manager for Ames’ portion of that 1997 mission. He
also served as the NASA Manager of the 1998 Lunar Prospector
Mission, which returned outstanding science data at very low
cost.
In 2000, Hubbard was named to NASA Headquarters in Washington
to serve as the first Mars Program Director. “After the
failure of the Climate Orbiter and the Polar Lander, Scott
was brought to Washington to help get our Mars exploration
program back on track. Today, we enjoy unprecedented success
in exploring the Red Planet, making discoveries no one would
have thought possible a few years ago,” added Administrator
O’Keefe.
In his 15 years at Ames, Hubbard served in a variety of
increasingly responsible management positions, including
Deputy Director of Space. He also led his own research as
principal investigator for several detector technology
projects. Hubbard has been a contributor to, and the
developer of, space research missions since 1974.
“He brings a unique perspective and an extensive knowledge of
NASA to his work,” said Dr. Jeremiah F. Creedon, Associate
Administrator for Aerospace Technology at NASA Headquarters
in Washington. “Scott’s role in NASA’s technology strategic
planning and his understanding of technologies and their
applications make him a natural selection as the Director of
Ames Research Center.”
Prior to joining NASA in 1987, Hubbard conducted both basic
and applied work in radiation detection materials and
devices, both in private industry and at Ernest Orlando
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Calif. His innovative
work in technology creation found application in the agency’s
space science missions.
Hubbard received his bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, Tenn., and graduate education in solid
state and semiconductor physics at University of California
at Berkeley.
Additional information about Ames is available on the
Internet at:
