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Scott Hubbard
Carl Sagan Chair for the Study of Life in the Universe
Scott Hubbard, an 18 year NASA veteran and Director of the NASA Ames Research Center from 2002 to 2006, has been interested in the broad question of life in the universe since he was a 12 year old lad in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. He has recently assumed the Carl Sagan Chair for the Study of Life in the Universe at the SETI Institute.
Inspired by the launch of Sputnik and the ensuing space race to conduct “Rocket Boy” experiments in his backyard, Scott grew up to attend Vanderbilt University, where he studied physics and astronomy. He helped put himself through college with a combination of scholarships, a job in the physics lab, and as a professional guitar player.
Once out of college, Scott evolved into a true out-of-the-box thinker. In 1974, he co-developed new radiation detection technology at Lawrence Berkeley Lab. That technology is now incorporated in the Mars Odyssey mission. A few years later he sharpened his entrepreneurial skills as co-founder of a high-tech start-up company near San Francisco.
At NASA Scott quickly moved up through the ranks. By 1997 he was the NASA manager of the successful Lunar Prospector, establishing a new way of doing business at NASA. He helped spearhead the discipline of Astrobiology at NASA and was the initiator and first Director of NASA's "virtual institute", the NASA Astrobiology Institute. He became NASA's “Mars Czar”, taking on the task of successfully restructuring the agency's Mars Program in the wake of two major mission failures. Scott was frequently in the papers during the Shuttle Columbia accident investigation, running the test program that demonstrated the definitive physical cause of the accident. He developed a reputation as a leader in innovative collaboration, establishing the NASA Research Park at Ames as well as being the driving force behind the Center's supercomputer initiative, Project Columbia. Very recently he initiated a high-profile, long-term cooperative agreement with Google.
His working philosophy is to balance innovation and creativity with established methodology. Scott has come to believe that these two approaches combine well, creating a “practical visionary” balance that can lead to great things.
With the right combination of care and creativity, humans will set foot on Mars, perhaps in our lifetimes. And someday, thanks to a combination of out-of-the-box thinking and a careful approach, we may have the answer to astrobiology's fundamental question: is life a rare happenstance, or a cosmic commonplace?
Scott has also accepted a Visiting Scholar appointment at Stanford University, effective February 1, 2006.
From Nobel Prize Winner and SETI Institute Trustee Baruch Blumberg, to his fellow members of the SETI Institute Board:
“Dear Colleagues, I am very pleased that Scott Hubbard will be joining the SETI Institute. I first met Scott when I was appointed the Director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute. He was responsible for setting up the structure of NAI before I was appointed the "Founding" Director. (Scott actually "founded" it.) His knowledge of space science and his long experience with NASA administration was of great help to me and will be of great value to the SETI Institute. Soon after my appointment as Director NAI, I started looking for a non-government organization with which we could partner for the furtherance of the astrobiology mission; I contacted colleagues at the SETI Institute with that in mind. The SETI Institute is now in a position to champion astrobiology science and assure its progresses.
Sincerely, Baruch Blumberg”
From Dr. Blumberg to Scott:
“Dear Scott, Welcome to the SETI Institute, and congratulations. As you may know, I have been a member of the Board of SETI Institute for about three years and am pleased that we will continue to work together. You will be holding a prestigious Chair to which you will add further prestige. I believe that the SETI Institute is in a position to become an even greater leader in astrobiology and greatly add to the efforts of NAI and to other NASA activities. I look forward to seeing you in your new post.
With kind regards,
Barry”
From Ann Druyan, long-time collaborator and widow of Carl Sagan, and CEO, Cosmos Studios:
“I well remember Carl's admiration for Scott Hubbard. In the years since Carl's death, I've had a chance to get to know Scott through his visionary leadership of Ames. I am delighted to learn of his acceptance of the Carl Sagan Chair for the Study of Life in the Universe at the SETI Institute. I simply can not think of a better choice to organize the approach and to advance our understanding of this endlessly fascinating question.”