David H. Grinspoon (born 1959) is an American astrobiologist. He is the Senior Scientist for Astrobiology Strategy at NASA[1] and was the former inaugural Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology for 2012–2013.[2][3][4][5][6]
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His research focuses on comparative planetology, with a focus on climate evolution on Earth-like planets and implications for habitability. He has also studied, written and lectured on the human influence on Earth, as seen in cosmic perspective.
He has published four books, Venus Revealed, which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times book prize, Lonely Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien Life, which won the 2004 PEN literary award for nonfiction,[7] Earth in Human Hands, which was named one of NPR's Science Friday "Best Science Books of 2016" and Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto, co-authored with Alan Stern. He is adjunct professor of Astrophysical and Planetary Science at the University of Colorado,[8] a former Fellow of the Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Engagement at Dartmouth College[9] and a former Distinguished Visiting Scholar in the College of the Environment at Wesleyan University.[10]
Grinspoon has served as an advisor to NASA on space exploration strategy,[12] and as an Interdisciplinary Scientist on the European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft mission to Venus.[13] He was a science team member of the NASA Astrobiology Institute Titan Team,[14] and served as science Co-Investigator and team lead for Education and Public Outreach for the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) on the Mars Science Laboratory.[5][15][16] Currently he serves on the Science Team for NASA's DAVINCI spacecraft mission which will launch to Venus in the 2030 timeframe.
His popular writing has appeared in numerous periodicals, such as Slate, Scientific American, Natural History, The Sciences, Seed, Astronomy, The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, LA Times, and The New York Times.[16] Grinspoon's technical papers have been published in Nature, Science, and numerous other journals.[16][failed verification] He has been featured on many television programs including PBS's Life Beyond Earth, BBC's The Planets, and History Channel's The Universe, as well as on NPR's Science Fridays, Wisconsin Public Radio, and BBC World Service shows. He has given invited talks at international conferences throughout the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Grinspoon also writes the bi-monthly "Cosmic Relief" column for Sky & Telescope magazine, where he is also a contributing editor.[17][18] In addition, he has appeared several times as a guest, and also as guest host, of Neil deGrasse Tyson's popular podcast and live shows StarTalk.[19]
In 2013, he was invited to give the Carl Sagan Lecture at the Fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union.[citation needed]
Grinspoon currently serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.
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