David Morrison is the Senior Scientist of the new Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), located in the NASA Research Park at Ames Research Center. The Lunar Science Institute will link competitively-selected science teams across the nation working together to help lead the agency’s research activities related to NASA’s lunar exploration goals. SSERVI research includes studies of the Moon (including lunar samples), from the Moon, and/or on the Moon. Morrison also continues as the Senior Scientist at the NASA Astrobiology Institute, where he participates in a variety of research programs in astrobiology.

From 1996-2001 he was the Director of Astrobiology and Space Research at Ames, managing research programs in the space, life, and earth sciences. Previously he served at NASA Ames as Director of Space and as the Chief of the Space Science Division. He received his Ph.D. in Astronomy from Harvard University in 1969 and has published more than 160 technical papers and a dozen books.

David gave a keynote at our Asteroid Day 2015 event titled “Should we fear Asteroids?” in which he discusses planetary defence among other things.

Watch it here:

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Asteroid Day, June 30th 2015
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco, California