Speakers
Lori Beth Garverr
Nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Lori Beth Garver began her duties as the Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on July 17, 2009.
As deputy administrator, Garver is NASA's second in command. She is responsible to the administrator for providing overall leadership, planning, and policy direction for the agency. Garver represents NASA to the Executive Office of the President, Congress, heads of government agencies, international organizations, and external organizations and communities. She also oversees the work of NASA's functional offices, including the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of General Counsel and Office of Strategic Communications.
Garver's confirmation as deputy administrator marks the second time she has worked for NASA. Her first stint at the agency was from 1996 to 2001. Initially, she served as a special assistant to the NASA administrator and senior policy analyst for the Office of Policy and Plans, before becoming the associate administrator for the Office of Policy and Plans. Reporting to the NASA administrator, she oversaw the analysis, development and integration of policies and long-range plans, the NASA Strategic Management System, and the NASA Advisory Council.
A native of Michigan, Garver was born May 22, 1961. She graduated from Haslett High School in Haslett, Michigan, in 1979 and four years later, in 1983, she earned a bachelor's degree in political science and economics from Colorado College. Her focus turned to space when she accepted a job working for Sen. John Glenn from 1983 to 1984. She since has served in a variety of senior roles in the nonprofit, government and commercial sectors.
Garver worked at the newly formed National Space Society from 1984 to 1996, becoming its second executive director in 1987. She served as the society's primary spokesperson, making frequent appearances on national television and regularly testifying on Capitol Hill. During that time, she also earned a master's degree in science, technology and public policy from George Washington University in 1989.
After working at NASA from 1996 to 2001, Garver was employed as the vice president of DFI Corporate Services from 2001 to 2003. From January 2001 until her nomination as NASA's deputy administrator, she was a full-time consultant as the president of Capital Space, LLC, and senior advisor for space at the Avascent Group. In these roles, she provided strategic planning, technology feasibility research and business development assistance, as well as merger, acquisition and strategic alliance support, to financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies.
Garver was the lead civil space policy advisor for the 2008 Obama presidential campaign and helped guide the agency review team for NASA during the post-election transition. Previously, she served as the lead space policy advisor for the Hillary Clinton and John Kerry campaigns for president and represented them at various events and conferences. Garver has held numerous advocacy roles for space exploration as a member of the NASA Advisory Council, a guest lecturer at the International Space University, president and board member of Women in Aerospace, and president of the American Astronautical Society. She lives in Virginia with her husband, David Brandt, and their sons Wesley and Mitchell.
John M. Grunsfeld, PhD.
NASA Astronaut
John Mace Grunsfeld, is a noted American physicist and a celebrated NASA astronaut.
Dr. John Grunsfeld received his bachelor of science degree in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his master of science and PhD. degrees in physics from the University of Chicago.
Specializing in x-ray and gamma ray astronomy research, high-energy cosmic ray studies, and the development of new detectors and instrumentation, Dr. Grunsfeld held several academic positions including Senior Research Fellow at the California Institute of Technology prior to his selection as astronaut in 1992.
Between 1995 and 2009, Dr. Grunsfeld flew five shuttle missions, including a 16-day mission of ultraviolet observations with the Astro observatory, the fifth mission to the Russian Mir space station, and three servicing missions to the Hubble Space Telescope, including the final servicing mission in 2009. Dr. Grunsfeld has logged more than 58 days in space, and 58 hours and 30 minutes of extravehicular activity in eight space walks.
Additionally, Dr. Grunsfeld has served as NASA Chief Scientist 2003-2004 and has been honored with the W.D. Grainger Fellow in Experimental Physics and was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. He was awarded NASA Space Flight Medals in 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2002, and earned the agency's Exceptional Service Medal in 1997, 1998, and 2000.
In May 2009, NASA astronaut John Grunsfeld made his fifth space shuttle flight and third visit to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) as part of the STS-125 mission aboard shuttle Atlantis. During the mission, Dr. Grunsfeld performed three of the mission's five space walks that installed two new instruments, repaired two others, and outfitted the HST with new batteries, gyroscopes, fine guidance sensors and thermal blankets.
Dr. Grunsfeld was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 10, 1958. He is currently married to the former Carol E. Schiff. They have two children. John enjoys mountaineering, flying, sailing, bicycling, and music.
Dr. James P. Clements
James P. Clements, who became West Virginia University's 23rd president on June 30, 2009, has proven that universities can engage with society to solve problems. Throughout his extensive higher education career, he has built lasting partnerships that have created meaningful results.
Dr. Clements has great enthusiasm for the future of WVU. He envisions WVU as a 21st century land-grant institution providing innovative academic and student life programs, technologically advanced research, and community service that benefits West Virginians through strategic partnerships with business, industry, government, and other organizations.
Specifically, some of the areas of emphasis he will want more feedback on moving forward include: assuring that WVU is a partner of choice in West Virginia, around the country, and around the world; intensifying research efforts and helping WVU become a national and international leader in energy, biometrics, the health sciences, education and other fields; and positioning WVU on the leading edge of technology and finding more efficient and effective ways to use technology to drive positive change and progress.
Additional priorities will be to look for ways to: continue to offer world-class health care and increase research and outreach in the health sciences; recruit and retain the very best faculty and staff; increase student support services and scholarship and financial aid programs to ensure that students can take full advantage of WVU's excellent academic programs; and increase the diversity of WVU's learning community and developing an even broader global focus to better prepare students for new and emerging international opportunities.
Dr. Clements' previous experience in higher education demonstrates his ability to help achieve these goals, as he begins the process of collaboration on a long-term strategic plan and vision for the University.
Before joining the Mountaineer family, Dr. Clements served as provost and vice president at Towson University, the second largest public university in Maryland. Under his leadership, Towson developed academic and student support programs that led to impressive increases in enrollment as well as retention and graduation rates. Towson's externally-funded research increased by 36 percent during Dr. Clements' tenure as provost.
Prior to becoming provost, he served as Towson University's vice president for economic and community outreach, helping Towson form strategic partnerships and secure more than $50 million in external funding during a four-year period.
With a background in computer science, Dr. Clements also brings technological savvy to his role as president. He has a B.S. in computer science and an M.S. and Ph.D. in operations analysis from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, as well as an M.S. in computer science from Johns Hopkins University. His project management textbook, in its fourth edition, is used in more than 20 countries and is published in four languages.
At Towson, he began his career as a visiting assistant professor, eventually rising to professor and chair of the Department of Computer & Information Sciences. In 2002 he was named the Robert W. Deutsch Distinguished Professor of Information Technology. He is a four-time recipient of Towson's Faculty Member of the Year Award given by students at the University.
He is married to Beth Clements, and they have four children - Tyler, 17; twin daughters Hannah and Maggie, 14; and Grace, 9.
Thomas L. Krepel, Ph.D.
Dr. Tom Krepel became the President of Fairmont State University on June 30, 2009. A lifelong educator, Dr. Krepel has extensive experience in postsecondary education and public policy processes.
Dr. Krepel is a native of Nebraska. He received all three of his degrees (B.S., M.Ed., Ph.D.) from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. From 1986 to 1990, he worked in several capacities at UNL, including Assistant to the Chancellor and Director of University Relations and as a member of the graduate faculty. He also was on the staff of the Nebraska Legislature for several years while doing graduate work at UNL.
He began his career in education as a junior high social studies teacher. He also has served as an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations at the University of New Orleans in Louisiana and was an associate professor and a member of the graduate faculty at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. For five years, Dr. Krepel was Dean of University Outreach at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and a member of the graduate faculty in educational administration. Dr. Krepel served for one year as Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and seven years as President at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. Prior to joining Fairmont State University, Dr. Krepel served for four years as Assistant to the President at Northern Illinois University.
Dr. Krepel and his wife Carol, have twin sons, Philip and Patrick. Philip is completing his baccalaureate degree at Chadron State College, and Patrick will begin graduate study at George Mason University this fall.
Dr. Brian Noland
Dr. Brian Noland was appointed chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission in April 2006.
Dr. Noland's professional career has been primarily focused in higher education and higher education policy. Prior to joining the Commission's staff, he served as the Associate Executive Director for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, and was a faculty member in the Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Noland's scholarly focus has been in the areas of access, accountability, and governance.
Dr. Noland received his B.A. and M.A in Political Science from West Virginia University, and holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.