KISS Steering Committee
May 2026 - The Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) is pleased to announce updates to the KISS Steering Committee. Chaired by KISS Director, Mike Watkins, the KISS Steering Committee includes 11 members from different space fields representing Caltech and JPL leadership. The KISS Steering Committee is responsible for providing guidance and expertise on KISS activities, including the technical review of KISS study programs.
We welcome new members Michelle Gierach, Katherine de Kleer, Dimitri Mawet, Mitchio Okumura, and Jason Rhodes who will join Becky Castano, Rosaly Lopes, Jonathan Lunine, Austin Minnich, Shouleh Nikzad, and Mark Simons on the KISS steering committee. Full details and affiliations of the updated KISS Steering Committee members are provided below.
2026 KISS Steering Committee:
- Becky Castano, Section Manager, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, JPL
- Michelle Gierach, Principal Scientist & Group Supervisor, Earth Biosphere, JPL
- Katherine de Kleer, Professor of Planetary Science and Astronomy; Hufstedler Family Scholar, Caltech
- Rosaly Lopes, Senior Research Scientist, JPL
- Jonathan Lunine, Chief Scientist, JPL
- Dimitri Mawet, David Morrisroe Professor of Astronomy, Caltech
- Austin Minnich, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics, Caltech
- Shouleh Nikzad, Chief Technologist, JPL
- Mitchio Okumura, Professor of Chemical Physics, Caltech
- Jason Rhodes, Chief Scientist for Astrophysics, Heliophysics, and Fundamental Physics, JPL
- Mark Simons, John W. and Herberta M. Miles Professor of Geophysics and Director, Brinson Exploration Hub, Caltech
We are very grateful to Jack Beauchamp, George Djorgovski, Charles Lawrence, and Jessica Neu for their years of expert counsel shaping the future of space exploration as they step down from the Steering Committee.
To learn more about the KISS Steering Committee, visit the Steering Committee page.