CAREER
Professional Biography
After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Brown University in 1964 and his Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from Stanford University in 1968, Dr. Huntress began his career at Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as an astrochemist specializing in chemical processes in the interstellar medium, comets and planetary atmospheres. He also worked on several JPL flight projects, most particularly as the Pre-Project Scientist for the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan.
In 1988 Dr. Huntress moved to NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, first as Assistant to the Director of the Earth Science and Applications Division, then in 1990 became Director of the Solar System Exploration Division. In 1993 he became Associate Administrator for Space Science where he was responsible for NASA's robotic science missions to observe the universe and to explore the solar system. During his tenure many new research and flight programs were started including NASA’s Astrobiology research program, the Discovery line of low cost planetary flight missions including the Mars Pathfinder lander and rover, the continuing line of Mars exploration missions, and several astrophysics flight projects.
In 1998 Dr. Huntress moved to the Geophysical Laboratory (now part of the Earth and Planets Laboratory) of the Carnegie Institution for Science where as Director he encouraged new lines of research crossing the boundaries of chemistry, biology, geology, and the science of life. After retiring in 2008 he continued as a spokesman and strategist for the scientific exploration of space.
In concert with his scientific and administrative career, Dr. Huntress has been a prolific public speaker on space science and exploration. A favorite topic concerns one of the most profound questions humans ask - are we alone in the universe. Does life exist somewhere else in the Solar System and the Universe beyond? Did life ever start on one of the bodies of our own Solar System? Might it even exist today? Pursuit of questions such as this has been one of the driving forces behind scientific exploration of space.
Recent presentation titled “Roving the Solar System: Looking for Signs of Life” presented at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition in Florida
Career Highlights
Caltech Visiting Professor of Cosmochemistry
JPL Cassini-Huygens Pre-Project Scientist
NASA Discovery Program Originator
NASA Astrobiology Program Originator
US Presidential Distinguished Executive Award
Nat'l Endowment for the Arts Presidential Design Award for Mars Pathfinder
Associate of the US National Academy and the Royal Astronomical Society