WASHINGTON, June 28,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Universities Space Research
Association (USRA) today named Dr. Walter
S. Kiefer, Director, Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI),
effective June 24, 2024, following a
national search. He has served as LPI's Associate Director, and
most recently, as Interim Director of LPI since February 1, 2024.
Dr. Kiefer is a distinguished planetary geologist whose research
focuses on the internal structure and evolution of terrestrial
planets and large icy satellites, including Venus, Mars, the Moon,
and Io. Since joining the Universities Space Research Association
(USRA) in 1993, he has made significant contributions to planetary
geophysics. His work includes computer simulations of mantle
convection and heat transport, measurements of planetary gravity
and topography, and laboratory studies of the physical properties
of rocks.
Dr. Kiefer's research has advanced understanding of the
current-day internal structure of Venus, Mars, the Moon, Io, and
differentiated meteorite parent bodies. His studies have also shed
light on volcanic structures on the Moon and Mars and the processes
that led to the divergent evolution of Venus and Earth.
He served as an Apollo Lunar Sample Principal Investigator for
five years, analyzing the density and porosity of 46 Apollo rock
samples at the Johnson Space Center. This work contributed to the
Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission and
involved using gravity observations to study the subsurface
magmatic plumbing of volcanic structures on the Moon and Mars.
Dr. Keifer also serves as Co-Investigator on three
upcoming planetary science missions: DAVINCI, Europa Clipper, and
EnVision— a joint mission by the European Space Agency and NASA to
Venus. Additionally, he is a member of NASA's Planetary Science
Advisory Committee, providing strategic guidance to NASA's
Planetary Science Division.
He has authored 380 publications and has 5,000 citations. Dr.
Kiefer chairs the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference—the
premier planetary conference in the world--and has served as a
guest associate editor for Meteorites and Planetary Science. He
holds a B.S. in Physics and Astronomy, summa cum laude, from
Texas Christian University and a Ph.D.
in Planetary Science and Geophysics from the California Institute of Technology.
"We are delighted to have Walter lead LPI," said Bernie Seery, Vice President of Science and
Technology at USRA. "His experience and expertise are highly valued
by USRA and I am confident that LPI will achieve much success under
his stewardship."
About USRA
Founded in 1969, under the auspices of the National Academy
of Sciences at the request of the U.S. Government, the Universities
Space Research Association (USRA) is a nonprofit corporation
chartered to advance space-related science, technology, and
engineering. USRA operates scientific institutes and facilities and
conducts other major research and educational programs. It is an
association with 121 university members. It engages the
broader university community, employs in-house scientific talent,
and offers innovative research, development, and project management
expertise. More information about USRA is available
at www.usra.edu.
About LPI
The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), operated by
Universities Space Research Association, was established during the
Apollo program in 1968 to foster international collaboration and to
serve as a repository for information gathered during the early
years of the space program. Today, the LPI is an intellectual
leader in lunar and planetary science. The Institute serves as a
scientific forum attracting world-class visiting scientists,
postdoctoral fellows, students, and resident experts; supports and
serves the research community through newsletters, meetings, and
other activities; collects and disseminates planetary data while
facilitating the community's access to NASA astromaterials samples
and facilities; engages and excites the public about space science;
and invests in the development of future generations of scientists.
The research carried out at the LPI supports NASA's efforts to
explore the solar system. More information about LPI is
available at www.lpi.usra.edu.
Media Contact:
Suraiya Farukhi
sfarukhi@usra.edu
443-812-6945
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SOURCE Universities Space Research Association