By Kristen Mitchell
President Donald Trump intends to appoint director of the George Washington University Space Policy Institute Scott Pace to be executive secretary of the National Space Council.
Dr. Pace is a professor of practice of international affairs in the Elliott School of International Affairs and is also a faculty member in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. Mr. Trump announced he intends to appoint Dr. Pace to lead the recently revived National Space Council earlier this month.
"I am truly honored and humbled by the president's decision, and I look forward to working for Vice President Pence in service to the nation,” Dr. Pace said.
The National Space Council is chaired by Vice President Mike Pence. The council was last active in the early 1990s under President George H.W. Bush.
Mr. Trump reestablished the council on June 30 with an executive order. Mr. Trump said during the signing ceremony the council would restore the country’s “proud legacy of leadership in space.”
The National Space Council is composed of Mr. Pence, Dr. Pace, the NASA administrator and secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, Transportation, the director of National Intelligence and other senior administration officials.
Dr. Pace has had a long career in space policy. His research interests include civil, commercial and national security space policy, and the management of technical innovation.
In addition to his role at GW, Dr. Pace serves as vice chair for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing. From 2005 to 2008, Dr. Pace served under President George W. Bush as the associate administrator for program analysis and evaluation at NASA. Prior to NASA, he was the assistant director for space and aeronautics in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
From 1993 to 2000, Dr. Pace worked for the RAND Corporation's Science and Technology Policy Institute. From 1990 to 1993, he was deputy director and acting director of the Office of Space Commerce, in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce.
Dr. Pace will take a leave of absence from the university and Henry Hertzfeld will serve as interim director of GW’s Space Policy Institute.
