Lyn D. Wigbels

Lyn D. Wigbels is a senior associate of Technology and Public Policy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Her research focuses on space policy and programs with particular emphasis on earth observations and space education. She was a contributing author of “Human Space Exploration Education for All” (CSIS, October 2006); Earth Observations and Global Change: Why? Where Are We? What Next? (CSIS, July 2008); and “Earth Observation, Risk Assessment and Global Change: Implications for the Insurance and Aerospace Sectors” (CSIS, July 2008). She led the development of the Exploration Station, a Web-based space education portal, in cooperation with the UNESCO and the International Astronautical Federation. Ms. Wigbels is also a senior fellow at the Center for Aerospace Policy Research at George Mason University and president of RWI International Consulting Services. She has over 15 years of experience as a senior government executive at NASA in the policy and programmatic arenas and more than 25 years of experience in developing and managing international programs. During this time, she served in a variety of management roles (deputy director, director of international programs, and director of communications) for the GLOBE Program, an international science and education program in more than 100 countries. Prior to this, she was director of space station policy and plans, where she was responsible for establishing a bilateral partnership with Italy on the International Space Station and led the U.S. negotiating team. She was also responsible for the policy aspects of the International Space Station Program and for managing the implementation of international partnerships. She had previously developed the agreements governing cooperation with Europe, Japan, and Canada on the International Space Station and was a member of the government-level and agency-level negotiating teams. While director of policy and plans for the Office of Space Systems Development, she played a key role in the development of a National Space Transportation Policy. She also led a NASA-wide review of its science communications activities and developed a NASA Science Communications Strategy. Prior to joining NASA, she was a managing editor at Prentice-Hall, Inc. Ms. Wigbels is executive vice president of the American Astronautical Society (AAS) and was elected an AAS fellow. She is the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) vice president for youth and workforce development activities and chairs the IAF Space Education and Outreach Committee.