Dr. Guenther Riegler, a senior executive from the Office of Space Science at NASA Headquarters, has been named director of astrobiology and space research at NASA Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.
Riegler, who previously served as the executive director for science in NASA’s Office of Space Science, will assume his news duties at NASA Ames in January. He succeeds Estelle Condon, who served as the acting director of astrobiology and space research at NASA Ames and recently was named an associate center director.
“I am delighted that Guenther Riegler will be joining us as our new director of astrobiology and space research,” said NASA Ames Director G. Scott Hubbard in announcing the appointment. “I have known Guenther for years and have the highest regard for his excellent leadership skills and his extensive experience with the agency’s various space science missions. He is an incredible talent and we’re fortunate to have him join us. I look forward to working with him.”
In his new capacity at NASA Ames, Riegler will direct the center’s extensive research in the fields of astrobiology (the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and destiny of life in the universe) and lead the center’s major research activities in space, Earth and life sciences.
As the agency’s executive director of the Office of Space Science, Riegler was responsible for oversight of the science requirements, management and performance of all of NASA’s space science missions. He previously served as the director of the Research Program Management Division at NASA Headquarters. The division is responsible for science requirements, management and performance of all space science missions.
Riegler joined NASA Headquarters in 1987 from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., where he was responsible for astrophysics mission operations and data analysis programs. Since 1995, Riegler has served as the chief scientist for the research division of the Office of Space Science. He also assumed responsibility for mission operations and data analysis management for most of NASA’s operating space science missions.
Riegler completed his undergraduate dissertation on x-ray instrumentation in 1964 at the Vienna Institute of Technology, Austria, and earned his doctorate at the University of Maryland in 1969. He began his NASA career at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., in what was then the new field of x-ray astrophysics. He has authored more than 40 publications in various scientific journals.
