posted 04-14-2009 09:44 PM               

UAHuntsville appoints former NASA Administrator as eminent scholar, professor

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) has named Michael Griffin, one of the world's leading aerospace engineers, as an eminent scholar and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

The announcement was made today by President David Williams.

In 2005, Dr. Griffin was appointed as the 11th NASA Administrator, serving in that role until earlier this year. He was previously Head of the Space Department at the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) of the Johns Hopkins University, and he played a leading role in numerous other space missions through employment at the APL, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Computer Science Corporation.

Prior to joining APL, he served in many executive positions with aerospace-related companies and he has held several academic appointments. Dr. Griffin has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, the Johns Hopkins University, and George Washington University.

"Michael Griffin is recognized worldwide as a leading authority on aerospace engineering and as a visionary for American space flight," Williams said. "We believe his contributions to this university and the Huntsville community will be of tremendous value. This appointment adds new dimensions to historic areas of strength, making his appointment an investment in the future of UAHuntsville.

"Dr. Griffin's appointment as a professor and eminent scholar will help raise the visibility of our aerospace engineering program to an even higher level. His achievements, both from a technical standpoint and as an academician, make him a valuable addition to our campus and provide great opportunities for this university. I'm delighted that Mike has decided to come and educate our students and collaborate with our faculty and with the rest of the Huntsville aerospace community."

Griffin looks forward to his new role at UAHuntsville.

"Everyone I have talked to in Huntsville, beginning with Dave Williams and his senior staff at UAHuntsville, university trustees, and local industry and community leaders, has been incredibly gracious in welcoming Rebecca and me to the Huntsville community," he said. "For my part, in my new role at the university and in the larger community, I look forward to the opportunity to show how glad we are to be here.

"I intend to remain actively involved in all aspects of U.S. defense and civil space programs," he added, including such activities as teaching, research and helping develop the next generation of aerospace designers and leaders.

Dr. Griffin will be filling the university's eminent scholar position in engineering. An endowment for this appointment was established 20 years ago but the position was never occupied. Dollars invested in this endowment have been growing during the past two decades. "The university has carefully conserved the resources in its Eminent Scholar Foundation awaiting the right opportunity to invest that endowment," Williams said. "This is that right opportunity."

Dr. Griffin is expected to assume his duties in mid-May.

Kader Frendi is chair of the university's mechanical and aerospace engineering department. He said Griffin's addition to the campus is a win for all involved.

"The faculty and students of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Department at UAHuntsville are delighted to learn that Dr. Michael D. Griffin will be joining our growing department," said Dr. Frendi. "The arrival of Dr. Griffin to UAHuntsville will benefit not only MAE but several other departments on campus and the whole Huntsville community. This addition will help propel UAHuntsville and the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department in particular to new heights and add a much needed visibility. This addition will also help in recruiting undergraduate and graduate students to our program. All in all, this is a win-win for MAE, UAHuntsville and the Huntsville community."

Dr. Griffin is member of the National Academy of Engineering and the International Academy of Astronautics, an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society, and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. He is the recipient of many honors and awards, including the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, the AIAA Space Systems Medal and Goddard Astronautics Award, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest award which can be conferred on a non-government employee. He is also the 2009 recipient of the National Space Club's Goddard Trophy, and the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement.

He has taught courses in spacecraft design, applied mathematics, guidance and navigation, compressible flow, computational fluid dynamics, spacecraft attitude control, astrodynamics, and introductory aerospace engineering. He is the lead author of numerous technical papers, as well as the textbook Space Vehicle Design, and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Maryland and California.

He previously served as both the Chief Engineer and the Associate Administrator for Exploration at NASA, and as the Deputy for Technology of the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. Prior to joining SDIO in an executive capacity, he played a key role in conceiving and directing several "first of a kind" space tests in support of strategic defense research, development, and flight testing. These included the first space-to-space intercept of a ballistic missile in powered flight, the first broad-spectrum spaceborne reconnaissance of targets and decoys in midcourse flight, and the first space-to-ground reconnaissance of ballistic missiles during the boost phase.

Dr. Griffin obtained his B.A. in Physics from the Johns Hopkins University, which he attended as the winner of a Maryland Senatorial Scholarship. He holds Master's degrees in Aerospace Science from Catholic University, Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, Applied Physics from Johns Hopkins, Civil Engineering from George Washington University, and Business Administration from Loyola College of Maryland. He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland.

About UAHuntsville
UAHuntsville is a research-intensive, public coeducational university accredited to award baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees. The university has colleges of business, engineering, liberal arts, nursing and science, and a school of graduate studies.

The university is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the 150 best national doctoral universities in the nation.

UAHuntsville is a Space Grant university, and is among the national leaders in NASA-sponsored research. The campus is located near NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and serves as the anchor tenant in Cummings Research Park, the second largest university research park in the United States.

posted 03-24-2011 05:28 PM               

Twelve distinguished figures in education, philanthropy, science, human rights, aerospace, the Catholic Church, business and athletics will join principal speaker Robert M. Gates as honorary degree recipients at the University of Notre Dame's 166th University Commencement Ceremony on May 22 (Sunday).

The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. at Notre Dame Stadium with the Academic Procession. Undergraduate diploma ceremonies for each college and school will be held that afternoon. Graduate and professional ceremonies will take place on May 21 (Saturday).

Gates, the U.S. secretary of defense, will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree. The other honorary degree recipients are...

Michael D. Griffin (doctor of engineering) - A physicist and aerospace engineer, Griffin served from April 2005 to January 2009 as the 11th NASA administrator, overseeing work on the future of human spaceflight, the fate of the Hubble telescope, and the agency's role in understanding climate change. He previously was NASA's associate administrator for exploration, and he also has served with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and as head of the space department at Johns Hopkins University. Since leaving NASA, he has served as eminent scholar and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

posted 12-04-2017 03:50 PM               

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Michael Griffin to the Department of Defense

Michael D. Griffin of Alabama to be Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, which will become effective February 1, 2018.

Dr. Griffin most recently served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Schafer Corporation. Previously, he served as the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, where he established the architecture for a space shuttle replacement and a path for humans to return to the Moon. Additionally, he helped initiate the development of commercial cargo delivery service to Earth orbit.

He is a recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, the AIAA Space Systems Medal, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal.

Dr. Griffin is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, the Catholic University of America, the University of Maryland, the University of Southern California, Loyola College; and George Washington University.

posted 02-20-2018 03:58 PM               

Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan swears in Dr. Michael D. Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Feb. 20, 2018.

posted 06-23-2020 04:04 PM               

As undersecretary for R&E, Griffin also served as DoD’s chief technology officer. Soon after joining DoD, he became the Pentagon’s “space guy” and spoke out against the slow and “process driven” way the military develops and procures satellites and other systems while adversaries like China are moving at a rapid pace.

Griffin advocated for the establishment of a separate agency under his office to focus on space innovation and the development of a low Earth orbit space architecture to take advantage of private sector technology. He won a huge political victory when DoD stood up the Space Development Agency in March 2019 in the face of huge opposition from the Air Force.

posted 08-12-2020 03:32 PM               

Michael Griffin Joins Rocket Lab Board of Directors

Rocket Lab, a space systems company and global leader in dedicated small satellite launch, has welcomed a new member to its board of directors, former Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin.

Griffin joins Rocket Lab's board with more than 35 years of space industry experience spanning roles in the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the commercial sector. Prior to joining Rocket Lab's board, Griffin served as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, overseeing the establishment of the Space Development Agency (SDA). In this role he was responsible for research, development, and prototyping activities across the DoD enterprise, mandated with ensuring technological superiority for the Department of Defense. He also oversaw the activities of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Missile Defense Agency, the Defense Innovation Unit, the Strategic Capabilities Office, the DoD Laboratory enterprise, and the Under Secretariate staff focused on developing advanced technology and capability for the U.S. military. Griffin also served as the 11th NASA Administrator, a role in which he initiated the first development of commercial cargo delivery service to Earth orbit in the agency's history.

Griffin previously held numerous executive positions in industry, including President and Chief Operating Officer of In-Q-Tel, CEO of Magellan Systems, and EVP/General Manager of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group. He also served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Schafer Corporation, a professional services provider in the national security sector. He has also served as the King-McDonald Eminent Scholar and professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and as the Space Department Head at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Today, Griffin serves as Co-President and Co-Founder of LogiQ, Inc., a company providing high-end management, scientific, and technical consulting services.

"We are honored to welcome Mike to Rocket Lab's board of directors," said Rocket Lab founder and Chief Executive Peter Beck. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from the civil, defense, and commercial space sectors that will be invaluable to our team as Rocket Lab continues to grow and meet the ever-evolving launch and space systems needs of the national security community and commercial sectors alike."

"Rocket Lab has established itself as the leader in dedicated small satellite launch, and it's a privilege to be joining the board at an exciting time for the business as it continues to increase launch cadence and expand into satellite manufacturing and operations," said Griffin. "Space continues to be a highly contested domain crucial to our national security, and it's also a domain that presents significant commercial opportunity. The Rocket Lab team has a proven track record of executing on a clear vision to make space accessible to these diverse communities, and I look forward to supporting that vision."

Griffin joins existing Rocket Lab board members Sven Strohband of Khosla Ventures, David Cowan of Bessemer Venture Partners, Matt Ocko of DCVC (Data Collective), and Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck.