Danielle Wood designs satellites and space technology applications that contribute to sustainable development.

Why you should listen

Dr. Danielle Wood has published extensive, novel research findings on emerging space activity in Africa, Latin America and South East Asia; advised senior leaders in the US government on technology policy and led teams of engineers and scientists to create satellite systems that contribute to public safety. As of January 2018, Dr. Wood directs the Space Enabled Research Group and serves as an Assistant Professor at the Media Lab in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The Mission of the Space Enabled research group is to advance justice in earth's complex systems using designs enabled by space. At Space Enabled, Wood designs innovative systems that harness space technology that support work toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Wood's research also develops systems analysis tools to improve decision making during the design of complex systems. Most recently, she worked as the Applied Sciences Manager within the Earth Science Division of Goddard Space Flight Center. Previously, she served as Special Assistant and Advisor to the Deputy Administrator at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Prior to working at NASA, Wood held positions at the Aerospace Corporation, Johns Hopkins University and the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs. She studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a PhD in engineering systems, SM in aeronautics and astronautics, SM in technology policy and SB in aerospace engineering.

Danielle Wood’s TED talk

More news and ideas from Danielle Wood

In Brief

A new malaria vaccine begins testing in Malawi and more TED news

May 23, 2019

The TED community is brimming with new projects and updates. Below, a few highlights. Malaria vaccine begins wide-scale testing in Malawi. RTS,S — the only malaria vaccine to successfully pass clinical trials — will be made available to 360,000 children in Kenya, Malawi and Ghana in the first round of implementation testing. Immunologist Faith Osier […]

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