In news that ascertains the increasing role of women in positions of importance, the US space agency, NASA appointed Indian-American Bhavya Lal as Acting Chief Of Staff on Monday. Lal has been a member of the agency’s Biden Presidential Transition Agency Review Team and was in-charge of the agency’s transition under the new administration of President Joe Biden.
NASA, in its statement spoke about “Lal’s extensive experience in engineering and space technology”. She was a serving member of research staff at the Institute For Defence Analyses Science And Technology Policy Institute (STPI) from 2005-20. “There she led the analysis of space technology, strategy, and policy for the White House Office of Science And Technology Policy And National Space Council, and other federal space-oriented organisations such as NASA, Department Of Defence, and the intelligence community.”
Her association with NASA goes back to her serving two consecutive terms on National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration Federal Advisory Committee On Commercial Remote Sensing, as well as an external council member of NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts Program And The Technology, a part of the Innovation and Engineering Advisory Committee of NASA’s advisory council.
Armed with Bachelor Of Science And Master Of Science degrees in nuclear engineering, along with a Master Of Science degree in technology and policy from Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, and a doctorate in public policy and public administration from George Washington University, she has, over the years been an integral part of many communities and organisations related to the space sector.
Image Design: Ashish Choudhary
Image Source: Bhavya Lal: Twitter/Space Watch Global; NASA headquarters: ZME Science