A leading faculty member at the University of Central Florida was nominated by President Donald Trump to lead NASA as the agency’s new chief financial officer.
Greg Autry, associate provost for Space Commercialization and Strategy at UCF, has been nationally recognized for his work in space research and innovation, focusing on the evolution of the space industry landscape and the rapid expansion of the private sector.
As the federal space agency’s CFO, Autry would be responsible for ensuring financial efficiency, overseeing strategic planning, managing the budget, and allocating funding relating to NASA’s programs and operations.
“I am looking forward to joining the incredible team at NASA,” Autry said in a statement.“We are charting a new future for humanity, improving the lives of billions, saving our biosphere, making our nation more secure, and creating jobs right now.”
Autry has worked with the Trump administration before, serving on the national review team for NASA in 2016 and as the White House liaison at NASA. He was previously nominated for the CFO position in 2020 but was not confirmed.
Speaking with Central Florida Public Media’s "Are We There Yet?" in November, Autry said his goal for NASA is to get the agency’s Artemis moon mission back on track and eliminate unnecessary spending at the agency to prioritize space exploration and development.
“Someone’s got to roll up their sleeves and figure out all these things,” Autry said. “There’s a lot of work to do, with getting Artemis back on track and fixing issues with the NASA science programs and budget.”
Autry previously served on the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee and at the FAA. He is currently the vice president of the National Space Society.
He was previously the director of Space Leadership, Policy and Business at Arizona State University, along with his various pursuits as a professor at Imperial College London, University of Southern California and University of California, Irvine.
Autry’s nomination, announced Monday, heads to the Senate for confirmation.
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