Longtime JPL manager looking forward to new role
At any given time, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory campus is abuzz with activity as employees engage in projects and missions that aim to help humanity better understand our solar system and the vastness beyond.
But working beyond the campus’ day-to-day operations are members of JPL’s Executive Council, whose long-range vision define the trajectory of work that will occur in the coming decades.
Among them is Dave Gallagher, a longtime manager since his arrival at JPL in 1989, who was recently named associate director for Strategy, Technology and Formulation by newly seated JPL Director Mike Watkins. Along with the associate director for Flight Projects and Mission Success, Gallagher reports directly to Watkins and Deputy Director Larry James.
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The Glendale resident explained in a recent interview how “technology” was added to the job title to indicate the important directive role it will play in deciding future objectives.
“I feel very passionately that you need to have technology involved in determining what your future strategy is as well as what missions we’re going to pursue,” said Gallagher, a former software consultant who once worked at IBM.
Still getting settled into his new accommodations on the ninth floor of the campus’ primary administration building, Gallagher said he is looking forward to the challenge of deciding where investments will be made and what projects and discoveries to pursue in the next seven to 10 years.
He cited JPL’s earth science missions and widening the search for possible signs of life to exoplanets in other star systems as exciting avenues to continue, but emphasized his desire to also look at and learn from tech developments happening beyond JPL and in the private spaceflight industry.
“We need to be plugged into all of that, potentially contribute to it, be aware of it,” Gallagher said. “I want to take advantage of partnerships with the other NASA centers, with academia and with industry (members) — making sure we’re taking advantage of things that they’ve done and applying those to our missions.”
A former La Cañada resident, Gallagher previously served as deputy director and director for Astronomy, Physics and Space Technology. Before that he was manager of JPL’s Advanced Optical Systems Program Office. He’s also held management roles in and helped oversee the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) and Spitzer Space Telescope project, and was the integration and test manager for an instrument responsible for correcting the spherical aberration that hindered the Hubble Space Telescope.
“I’ve spent almost my whole career being a project manager — building an instrument, a mission, a satellite, testing it, putting the team together, building it, testing it, launching it and operating it,” he said. “(But) this job is quite different. This is really all about strategy. I’m excited about the challenge.”
Charles Lawrence, chief scientist for Astronomy and Physics at JPL, worked under Gallagher on what was eventually named the Spitzer Space Telescope. He said in an email interview his former manager’s vision, coupled with a keen technical and personal skill, are sure to be of benefit in his new position.
“Dave is an outstanding manager — strategic, smart, knowledgeable, enabling and fun. He inspires people to do their best, and expects no less,” Lawrence said. “He will be superb in his new job.”
New JPL Director Watkins agreed.
“Dave was selected because he uniquely combines strategic thinking with a strong JPL management background,” he said. “He is also particularly interested in developing deep and long-term partnerships with other NASA centers and industry, and that is a key aspect of our future plans.”
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
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