Clark School Alumnus Griffin Confirmed for Top NASA Post

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The U.S. Senate yesterday confirmed Michael D. Griffin, a 1977 aerospace engineering doctoral graduate of the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, as the new head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

"This is an amazing feat for one of our alumni in what has already been an incredible year for the Clark School of Engineering," said Clark School Dean Nariman Farvardin. "This appointment honors not only Dr. Griffin, but the entire Clark School." Dr. Griffin serves on the advisory board of the Clark School 's aerospace engineering department and is a member of its Academy of Distinguished Alumni .

In his testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Dr. Griffin said his priorities as the head of NASA would include flying the space shuttle as safely as possible until its retirement in 2010; developing a new crew exploration vehicle for service as soon as possible after the shuttle service is retired; bringing an overall focus of exploration to the human spaceflight program; completing the International Space Station; pursuing partnerships with the emerging commercial space sector; and establishing a lunar return program that could eventually extend toward Mars exploration as well.

"The strategic vision for the U.S. manned space program is of exploration beyond low Earth orbit," Dr. Griffin said during his testimony. "In the twenty-first century and beyond, for America to continue to be preeminent among nations, it is necessary for us also to be the preeminent spacefaring nation."

Dr. Griffin currently serves as Space Department Head at Johns Hopkins University 's Applied Physics Laboratory.  Prior to that, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of In-Q-Tel, Inc.  He also served in several positions within Orbital Sciences Corporation, including Chief Executive Officer of Magellan Systems, Inc. 

Earlier in his career, Dr. Griffin served as Chief Engineer at NASA and as Deputy for Technology at the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. 

Before his doctoral work in aerospace engineering at the Clark School, he received a bachelor's degree in Physics from Johns Hopkins University and a master's degree in Aerospace Science from Catholic University of America. He holds additional master's degrees in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Business Administration and Civil Engineering.

Dr. Griffin's full testimony before the Senate committee is available here: http://commerce.senate.gov/pdf/griffin.pdf

About the A. James Clark School of Engineering
The Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland in College Park , Maryland , is one of the premier engineering schools in the U.S.

With major research programs in key areas such as communications and networking, systems engineering, rotorcraft technology, optoelectronics, nanotechnology, transportation systems and space engineering, as well as electronic packaging, smart small systems and materials, the school is leading the way to the next generations of engineering technology. The Clark School has extensive research relationships with NASA, other major government agencies and numerous national technology corporations, and innovative programs for technology entrepreneurship.

The school offers 13 graduate programs and 11 undergraduate programs, including two degree programs tailored for working professionals and one certification program.

Visit the Clark School homepage here: http://www.eng.umd.edu/

####

Return To Press Releases