NASA’s Deputy Administrator Frederick Gregory has been selected as one of the 50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology for 2005.

Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine annually honors individuals based on their work in making technology part of global society. Their accomplishments are examples of the important contributions made by the half-million African-Americans in high-tech jobs.

“I’m honored and excited to have been recognized. As we look to the future, there are exciting engineering opportunities in the Vision for Space Exploration,” Gregory said. “I look forward to continuing all I can do to make technology more accessible,” he said.

As Deputy Administrator, Gregory serves as the chief operating officer for NASA. He is responsible for directing and managing many of the agency’s programs as well as day-to-day operations and activities.

Prior to becoming the Deputy Administrator, Gregory served as the Associate Administrator for Space Flight from December 2001 to August 2002. He was responsible for the management of the International Space Station; Space Shuttle operations; Space Access; Space Communications; and Advanced Programs.

From June 1992 to December 2001, he was NASA’s Associate Administrator, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. He was responsible for ensuring the safety, reliability, quality, and mission assurance for NASA programs. Gregory has extensive experience as an astronaut and test pilot. He was the first African American to command a Space Shuttle. He receives the award tonight in Baltimore. For more information about Gregory, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/AN_Feature_Deputy.html

More information about the prestigious 2005 “50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology” list is available on the Web at: http://www.beya.org