Leadership Team
The Office of the Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is responsible for directing and overseeing the nation’s space research program in Earth and space science. The Directorate engages the external and internal science community to define and prioritize science questions and seeks to expand the frontiers of five broad scientific pursuits: Earth Science, Planetary Science, Biological and Physical Sciences, Heliophysics, and Astrophysics.
Through a variety of robotic observatory and explorer craft, and through sponsored research, the Directorate provides virtual human access to the farthest reaches of space and time, as well as practical information about changes on our home planet.
Associate Administrators
![nicola-fox-320x480.jpg](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/dr_nicola_fox.png?w=4096&format=png)
![Portrait photo of Sandra Connelly](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/sandra_connelly_portrait-jpeg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
![michael-new-bio.jpg](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/michael_new_2022-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
![Portrait photo of Dr. Joel Kearns](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Kearns_Joel_2019_300_PHOTO_4-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
![dr-wanda-peters-cropped.jpg](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Peters_Wanda.png?w=4096&format=png)
![Portrait photo of a woman with short light hair in a dark suit jacket.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/flynn-portrait-march-2023-240x480-1.png?w=4096&format=png)
![Paul Hertz portrait](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Hertz_Jul2022-rs-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
Science Division Directors
The SMD Division Directors lead NASA scientists and engineers across the globe in the development and operations of over 100 missions/year.
![Portrait photo of a smiling woman with long blond hair standing next to the American flag.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/lisa-carnell.jpeg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
![Portrait photo of a smiling woman with long brown hair and wearing dark clothing](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/KarenSt.GermainFeb2023_320x480_0-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
![Portrait photo of a smiling man wearing a dark suit jacket and tie and sitting in front of a dark blue background that fades to black.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/JohnGagosian-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
![Dr. Gina DiBraccio portrait in front of a light gray backdrop. She is smiling, has brown hair, and is wearing a black top.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-headshot-graybackground234.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
![Portrait photo of a man with a white shirt, black tie and sport jacket](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Clampin.png?w=4096&format=png)
![Portrait photo of a smiling man in a suit.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dr-joseph-westlake.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Program Directors
![Jeff-Gramling.jpg](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jeff_Gramling_2022-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
Branch Chiefs
![Portrait photo of smiling man wearing glasses and a suit](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/feeley-jens-portrait-230330-nhq202303220028-1.png?w=4096&format=png)
Chief Technologist
![Portrait photo of a woman with short grey hair wearing a red shirt and dark blazer in front of a dark blue background](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CarolynMercerFeb2023_320x480.png?w=4096&format=png)
Chief Science Data Officer
![Portrait of Kevin Murphy, male, in front of a blue background wearing a black suit jacket and dark blue tie.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/kevin-murphy-headshot.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Senior Communications Official
![Photo of woman standing in front of a screen.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/KarenasGRACE_FOhost-jpeg.webp?w=4096&format=png)