Waleed Abdalati Returning To NASA From University Of
Colorado
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has named Waleed Abdalati the
agency's chief scientist, effective Jan. 3. Abdalati
will serve as the principal adviser to the NASA administrator on
agency science programs, strategic planning and the evaluation of
related investments.
Abdalati is currently the director of the Earth Science and
Observation Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
He also is an associate professor in the university's geography
department. Between 1998 and 2008, Abdalati held various
positions at NASA in the areas of scientific research, program
management and scientific management. His research has
focused on the study of polar ice cover using satellite and
airborne instruments. He has led or participated in nine
field and airborne campaigns in the Arctic and the Antarctic.
Abdalati will represent all of the scientific endeavors in the
agency, ensuring they are aligned with and fulfill the
administration's science objectives. He will advocate for
NASA science in the context of those broader government science
agendas and work closely with the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy and the Office of Management and Budget.
"We are excited to have Waleed return to the agency during such
a critical transition period," Bolden said. "His experience,
wide-range of scientific knowledge and familiarity with NASA will
greatly benefit the agency. He will be a true advocate for
our many and diverse science research and exploration
programs."
During his first tenure at NASA, Abdalati served as the head of
the Cryospheric Sciences Branch at the agency's Goddard Space
Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. He also managed the
Cryospheric Sciences Program at NASA Headquarters in
Washington.
Abdalati is a fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research
in Environmental Sciences, a joint venture between the University
of Colorado at Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. His research examines how and why the Earth's
ice cover is changing and what those changes mean for life on our
planet.
Abdalati received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical
engineering from Syracuse University in 1986, a Master of Science
in aerospace engineering sciences from the University of Colorado
in 1991, and a doctorate in 1996 from the Department of Geography
at the University of Colorado, where he was one of the first
graduates of the university's Program in Atmospheric and Ocean
Sciences.
He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers, book
chapters, and NASA-related technical reports, with approximately
1,500 citations in the peer-reviewed literature. Abdalati has
received numerous awards for his research and service to NASA,
including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and
Engineers, a NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, and two NASA Group
Achievement Awards.