Judd joins Keck Institute

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Michele Judd, a senior engineer in the Science Division, has been named managing director for the Keck Institute for Space Studies, a joint project of Caltech and JPL. The primary purpose of the institute is to develop new planetary, Earth and astrophysics space mission concepts and technology by bringing together a broad spectrum of scientists and engineers for sustained scientific and technical interaction. This organization links the study elements of a think tank with the implementation elements of designing and developing prototypes. A JPL employee since 2001, Judd has managed numerous special projects throughout the Lab, including the Foreign National Task Force, the annual Research and Technology Development Poster Session, and the Onboard Autonomous Science Investigation System, ServoGrid and QuakeSim research teams. Although Judd’s appointment is primarily at the Caltech campus, she will also retain an affiliation to JPL through the offices of the chief scientist and chief technologist.