Dr. Bhavya Lal is an expert in space policy and economic analysis, known for her data-driven approach to addressing complex challenges in the space sector. As NASA's Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, she pioneered the integration of economic assessments into strategic decision-making, shaping transformative initiatives in areas such as space sustainability, planetary defense, and space nuclear power.
At the direction of the NASA Administrator, she created and provided executive leadership to the NASA Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) while simultaneously making history as the first woman to serve as NASA's acting Chief Technologist. Before her role as Associate Administrator, Dr. Lal served as NASA's acting Chief of Staff during the first 100 days of the Biden Administration, overseeing the agency’s transition and ensuring the continuation of the Artemis program across administrations. For 15 years prior to joining NASA, she led strategy, technology assessment, and policy analyses at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI). Her work at STPI provided strategic advice to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and federal agencies on key issues, including developing performance based regulations for space nuclear power and national policy on orbital debris mitigation. Prior to STPI, she was the Director of the Center for Science and Technology Policy Studies at Abt Associates, a global policy research and consulting firm.
Her groundbreaking contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, induction as an Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics, recognition as an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and receipt of the AIAA Public Service Award. Dr. Lal holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Public Administration from George Washington University, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.