Alumni Talks: Kartik Sheth

Overview

Dr. Kartik Sheth is an internationally recognized astrophysicist, executive leader, and science policy strategist with senior experience across NASA, the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB), and the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP). As NASA’s Associate Chief Scientist, he helped shape the Agency’s AI strategy and led development of its first public access policy, while contributing to oversight of flagship missions including the James Webb and Spitzer Space Telescopes. At OMB, he managed an $8.5B portfolio for the DOE Office of Science, and at OSTP served as Assistant Director for Research Infrastructures and Science Equity, where he led the U.S. Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing (2022–2026). Dr. Sheth is also a trusted advisor to the private space and innovation sectors, supporting organizations such as Max Space, Singapore Space & Technology Ltd., the John Templeton Foundation, and clean energy firm Closed Carbon. Academically, he is a leading observational astrophysicist in galaxy evolution, with more than 180 refereed publications and 30,000 citations. He is founder and CEO of Empowered Earth Alliance and has been selected as a Laureate of both the Safe Space for Science and Choose France for Science programs.

Everyone is welcome at this life and career talk.

Address & Contact

For more information, contact:

• Stephanie Peterson
• (641) 269-3323
• petersos@grinnell.edu