Background
Dr. Emily Sylak-Glassman is a program manager in the Applied Sciences Program within the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters where she works to apply NASA’s knowledge of Earth science to benefit people and the planet.
Emily manages a broad portfolio of efforts across the Applied Sciences Program and leads the Program’s strategy and budget planning. As the lead for the Applications focus area, Emily's work supports the development of practical and innovative applications from data collected by various satellite missions. She serves as the executive secretary and designated federal official for the Applied Sciences Advisory Committee. She is currently the program application lead for the Surface Deformation and Change Mission. She also serves as the NASA co-chair for the USGEO Assessment Working Group, which is overseeing the 2023 National Earth Observation Assessment.
In 2022, she did a detail with NASA's Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, where served as a senior policy analyst, providing data- and evidence-driven analysis to the highest levels of NASA leadership.
Before joining NASA, Emily worked at the Science and Technology Policy Institute, a federally funded research and development center. There, she worked with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and executive branch agencies to provide in-depth analyses and technical expertise. As a project manager and lead researcher, she coordinated climate and Earth science efforts with OSTP, individual agencies, and at the interagency level with subcommittees of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).
Emily received a PhD in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. She also received BS degrees in chemistry and biological chemistry from the University of Chicago.