Theme: Terra Incognita

We have entered an era of unprecedented change and turmoil which has brought widespread confusion — as well as opportunity.

As explorers in the past believed in the promise of the future even as they faced unknowable risks, we today are called to meet our moment by mapping our emerging world, even as we attempt to live within it. We have quickly sailed beyond the limits of what has
been previously charted. We truly live in "terra incognita."

Sidney Harman Hall
610 F Street Northwest
Washington, District of Columbia
United States

Pam Melroy

Deputy Administrator, NASA

Col. (USAF, ret) Pam Melroy was sworn in as the NASA deputy administrator on June 21, 2021. As deputy administrator, Melroy performs the duties and exercises the powers delegated by the administrator, assists the administrator in making final agency decisions, and acts for the administrator in his absence by performing all necessary functions to govern NASA operations. Melroy is also responsible for laying out the agency’s vision and representing NASA to the Executive Office of the President, Congress, heads of federal and other appropriate government agencies, international organizations, and external organizations and communities. Melroy was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program in 1983. As a co-pilot, aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and test pilot, Melroy logged more than 6,000 flight hours in more than 50 different aircraft before retiring from the Air Force in 2007.