Dr Christyl Johnson joined NASA Goddard as Deputy Center Director for Technology and Research Investments in December 2010. She manages the Center’s research and development portfolio, formulates the Center’s future science and technology goals, and leads an integrated program of investments aligned to meet those goals.
Dr Johnson came to NASA Goddard from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She served under the President’s Science Advisor as the Executive Director of the National Science and Technology Council, where she was responsible for ensuring the establishment of clear national goals for Federal science and technology investments in a broad array of areas across the executive branch.
Prior to joining the White House staff, Johnson served as the assistant associate administrator in NASA’s Office of the Administrator; the deputy chief engineer for program integration and operations in the Office of the Chief Engineer; and the associate director for exploratory missions in the Office of Earth Science, where she managed the formulation and development for all exploratory missions.
Dr Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from Lincoln University, a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University, and a PhD in Systems Engineering from George Washington University.