NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has appointed University of Colorado at Boulder Professor Jack Burns of the astrophysical and planetary sciences department to the NASA Advisory Council.
Burns, vice president emeritus for academic affairs and research for the CU system, will represent the United States astronomy and astrophysics community on the NASA Advisory Council's Science Committee. The Council reports directly to the NASA administrator and is the senior advisory body for helping the agency address program and policy matters relating to all aspects of the U.S. space program.
The Council advises the NASA administrator on the space shuttle, the International Space Station and space exploration plans, like the return to the moon initiative and eventual manned missions to Mars, as well as advising on aeronautics, financial controls and space science. The Council consists of six committees, including science, aeronautics, exploration, finance and audit, human capital and space operations.
“This is a prestigious position which reflects very favorably on Jack Burns' high standing and regard in the space science community and the university,” said CU-Boulder Vice Chancellor for Research Stein Sture.
Burns previously was vice provost for research at the University of Missouri and was associate dean for arts and sciences at New Mexico State University. He has published more than 330 research papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings on astronomy, cosmology, supercomputer numerical simulations and public policy issues in higher education and science. Burns is a fellow of the American Physical Society.
The NASA Advisory Council is chaired by Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, an Apollo 17 astronaut and former U.S. senator from New Mexico.