Koushik Datta is the University Innovation Project Manager for NASA Aeronautics – his portfolio consists of University Leadership Initiative, University Student Research Challenge, and Gateways to Blue Skies competitions. The University Innovation Project is currently funding around 70 universities to develop a wide variety of innovative aeronautical concepts – 9 of these universities are Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 13 others are Minority Serving Institutions. His current passion is utilizing university talent to develop zero emissions aviation for the mid-century.
Koushik received his Ph.D. in Operations Research from UC Berkeley and his B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Madras.
Previously, Koushik was the manager of the LEARN Project and prior to that he was acting Deputy Director for, and helped establish, NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI).
While at NASA Ames Research Center, Koushik has worked on multiple NASA projects - Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), Orion 80-AS Test, Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) for the Space Launch Initiative (SLI), and Advanced Air Transportation Technologies (AATT).
Steven Holz is the Assistant University Innovation Project Manager for NASA Aeronautics. Steven manages the University Students Research Challenge and supports the University Leadership Initiative.
