Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726
RELEASE: 07-80
NASA NOBEL PRIZE RECIPIENT TO LEAD CHIEF SCIENTIST OFFICE
WASHINGTON - NASA's new Science Mission Directorate Associate
Administrator Alan Stern has appointed NASA scientist and 2006 Nobel
Prize recipient John Mather to lead the Office of the Chief Scientist
at Headquarters in Washington. Mather and his staff in the newly
created office will be chief advisors to Stern.
"John Mather is a scientist of legendary reputation, technical ability
and space science mission experience. His office will provide
independent scientific advice to me to guide decision making
regarding all aspects of the NASA science program," Stern said.
Office responsibilities will include assisting the associate
administrator in setting flight mission and research budget
priorities for all NASA science programs. The office will ensure
NASA's research programs are scientifically and technologically well
founded, are appropriate for their intended applications and achieve
a fair and optimal balance between the various scientific disciplines
in the directorate. In addition, the office will help develop and
enhance discussions with the national and international science
community.
In October 2006, Mather and George Smoot of the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif., received the Nobel Prize for
Physics for their collaborative work in understanding the Big Bang.
Mather joined NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., to
head the Cosmic Background Explorer Mission as project scientist. He
has been a Goddard Fellow since 1994 and currently serves as senior
project scientist and chair of the Science Working Group of the James
Webb Space Telescope. He will continue this position while taking on
his new responsibilities in Washington.
Mather, a recipient of numerous awards, has a bachelor's degree in
physics from Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa., and a doctorate in
physics from the University of California, Berkeley.
In addition, Stern named Paul Hertz to direct the newly created
Science Policy, Process and Ethics Office. Hertz will ensure NASA's
science research programs are conducted with the highest standards
and effectiveness in accordance with NASA's principles of science
merit, open competition and peer review. He also will be responsible
for the solicitation, selection and award processes within the
directorate's research program.
"Paul is a talented, energetic, dedicated scientist and public servant
who is ideally suited to this key position. I am pleased to have him
lead in this important role," Stern added.
Hertz joined the NASA Office of Space Science, Washington, as a senior
scientist in 2000. He has held management positions for numerous NASA
science projects and programs. Hertz has a bachelor's degree in
physics and mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Cambridge, and a doctorate in astronomy from Harvard
University, Cambridge, Mass. He was an astrophysicist at the U.S.
Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, before joining NASA. He has
received numerous honors, including the Meritorious Presidential Rank
Award.
NASA's Science Mission Directorate conducts research and scientific
programs to observe the Earth, study space weather and explore the
solar system and the universe beyond. To achieve these scientific
goals, NASA conducts an assortment of grant-based research programs
and manages a diverse constellation of spacecraft that carry out
missions ranging from small, principal investigator-led missions to
large flagship missions.
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
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