Thomas Zurbuchen

Thomas Zurbuchen
Zurbuchen in 2021
Born1968 (age 57–58)
Heiligenschwendi, Canton of Bern, Switzerland
EducationUniversity of Bern
OccupationGovernment agency administrator
EmployerETH Zürich
Known forAssociate Administrator, NASA (2016-2022)[1]

Thomas Hansueli Zurbuchen (born 1968) is a Swiss-American astrophysicist. From October 2016[2] until the end of 2022, he was the longest continually running Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA.[3][4] Prior to this, he was Professor of Space Science and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan, where he helped found the Center for Entrepreneurship.[5]

Currently, Thomas Zurbuchen is a full professor at ETH Zürich[6][7] where he leads the ETH Zürich | Space initiative[8][7] and has built the space master's degree programme.[9][10] He also does advisory engagements and keynote speaking.[11][12]

In 2021 an asteroid was named after Zurbuchen.[13]

Personal life and education

Zurbuchen was born and grew up in Switzerland as the child of a Free Church preacher.[14] He attended both high school and university against the wishes of his parents.[14] Zurbuchen studied physics at the University of Bern, with a minor in mathematics, and was awarded a PhD in 1996 with a thesis entitled "Turbulence in the interplanetary medium and its implications on the dynamics of minor ions".[15]

Career

Zurbuchen gives opening remarks at an event to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the launch of the Voyager missions, September 5, 2017

Zurbuchen moved to the United States two weeks after completing his PhD.[16] He joined the University of Michigan as a research associate, and was made professor in 2008. His scientific research focuses on solar and heliospheric physics, experimental space research, and space systems; he is also well known for his personal work on innovation and entrepreneurship.[17]

Zurbuchen served as team leader for the development of one of the scientific instruments aboard NASA's Messenger spacecraft to Mercury, the Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer.[18] He chaired the National Academy of Sciences committee that produced a report in 2016 on Cubesats.[19]

From October 2016[2] until the end of 2022, Zurbuchen was the longest continually running Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA.[3][4] During this time, NASA launched 37 missions and started another 54.[20][4] Among them were the James Webb Space Telescope, Perseverance and Ingenuity Mars Landings, DART, and many others for which he was responsible, and to the success of which he contributed majorly.[21][4] Due to his work, Zurbuchen is routinely featured in interviews, public lectures, and podcasts, focussed on leadership innovation and management techniques, especially in complex organizations. Examples include, but are not limited to the Harvard Business Review,[22] the Knowledge Project,[23] (German) Chefgespräch,[24] and (German) Alles Gesagt.[25]

As of January 2023, Zurbuchen works as an international speaker.[20][26] Since August 2023, Zurbuchen is director of ETH Zurich Space[27] and holds a full professorship there.[7]

Other activities

  • Planet Labs, Member of the European Advisory Board (since 2026)[28]
  • Schindler Group, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2024)[12]
  • Firefly Aerospace, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2025)[29]
  • Voyager Space, Member of the advisory board (since 2024)[30]
  • McKinley Apartments, Member of the Board of Directors[31]

Awards

Zurbuchen is referenced in the King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard song The Last Oasis.[53]

References

  1. ↑ "Thomas Zurbuchen: Transitioning to My Next Chapter". 14 September 2022.
  2. 1 2 "NASAWatch article announcing Zurbuchen's NASA appointment". 27 September 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Thomas Zurbuchen bio at NASA". Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "NASA's Science Associate Administrator Thomas Zurbuchen to Step Down". executivegov.com. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  5. ↑ Chang, Kenneth (12 January 2023). "At NASA, Dr. Z Was OK With Some Missions Failing". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  6. ↑ "Prof. Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen | ETH Zürich". eaps.ethz.ch (in German). Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "Weltraumwissenschaft und -technologie". Departement Erd- und Planetenwissenschaften (in German). Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Contact". ETH Zurich | Space. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "Space Science and Technology". Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Launch of space systems degree programme". ETH Zurich. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Thomas Zurbuchen". Thomas Zurbuchen. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Board of Directors". Welcome to the Schindler Group. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Wise, Derek (21 September 2021). "Asteroid named for NASA Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Thomas Zurbuchen". Space Explored. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  14. 1 2 Aus der Freikirche ins All – Die steile Karriere des Nasa-Direktors Thomas Zurbuchen | Doku| SRF Dok, 21 February 2020, retrieved 3 May 2023
  15. ↑ Zurbuchen, Thomas (1996). Astrophysics Data System reference for Zurbuchen's thesis (Report). Bibcode:1996PhDT........34Z.
  16. ↑ Zurbuchen, Thomas (25 May 2023). "Thomas Zurbuchen - The Next Step, Across The Atlantic, As An Immigrant". SpaceRef. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  17. ↑ "About Me". Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  18. ↑ "FIPS Page at University of Michigan". Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  19. ↑ "Achieving Science with CubeSats: Thinking Inside the Box (2016)". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Thomas Zurbuchen". Thomas Zurbuchen. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  21. ↑ "Launching the World's Biggest Space Telescope – Dr. Thomas Z". blogs.nasa.gov. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  22. ↑ "NASA's Science Head on Leading Space Missions with Risk of Spectacular Failure". Harvard Business Review. 18 October 2022. ISSN 0017-8012. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  23. ↑ "Thomas Zurbuchen: Adventures in Astrophysics [The Knowledge Project Ep. #108]". Farnam Street. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  24. ↑ Balzli, Beat (23 December 2022). "Podcast – Chefgespräch: NASA-Forschungschef Zurbuchen: "Ende der 2030er Jahre werden wir auf de". www.wiwo.de (in German). Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  25. ↑ "ZEIT ONLINE | Lesen Sie zeit.de mit Werbung oder im PUR-Abo. Sie haben die Wahl". www.zeit.de. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  26. ↑ "LinkedIn: Thomas Zurbuchen". LinkedIn. 1 January 2023.
  27. ↑ "Former NASA Science Director is joining ETH Zurich". ethz.ch. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  28. ↑ Driving Strategic Growth in Europe: Announcing Planet’s European Advisory Board Planet Labs, press release of 13 February 2026.
  29. ↑ "Thomas Zurbuchen - Board Member - Firefly Aerospace". investors.fireflyspace.com. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  30. ↑ "Leading Astrophysicist and Former NASA Head of Science Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen Joins Voyager Space Advisory Board | Voyager Technologies". voyagertechnologies.com/. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  31. ↑ "About McKinley | Philosophy, Leadership Team, Board of Directors | McKinley". www.mckinley.com. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  32. ↑ "Thomas Zurbuchen Named Head of NASA Science Mission Directorate - NASA". Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  33. 1 2 3 4 https://adaa.engin.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2013/07/zurbuchen.pdf
  34. ↑ "White House Announces Awards for Early Career Scientists and Engineers". PRNewswire. 4 May 2004. Archived from the original on 6 May 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  35. ↑ "Faculty Recognition Awards | Rackham Graduate School: University of Michigan". Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  36. ↑ Greinacher Foundation. University of Bern. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  37. ↑ "von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics Award". AIAA - Shaping the future of aerospace. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  38. ↑ "Zurbuchen is Honorary Degree Recipient, Commencement Speaker | Northern Today". news.nmu.edu. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  39. ↑ "STA PRESENTS LEADERSHIP AWARD TO THOMAS ZURBUCHEN, Dec 14, 2022, DC, 3:00-4:00 pm ET". Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  40. ↑ "Newly elected individual members 2022". www.satw.ch. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  41. ↑ Ballard, Kimberly (1 November 2022). "Space industry leaders honored at von Braun celebration". 256 Today. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  42. ↑ Putting all our energy into education. ETH Zurich, 19 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  43. ↑ "Der Deutsche Innovationspreis 2023 - 21. April 2023". Der Deutsche Innovationspreis 2023 (in German). Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  44. ↑ "RIT to confer five honorary degrees at May 12 commencement ceremony". rit.edu/news. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  45. ↑ aiaaorg (13 February 2023). "AIAA Announces its Class of 2023 Honorary Fellows and Fellows". AIAA - Shaping the future of aerospace. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  46. ↑ Federation, International Astronautical. "IAF : IAF Excellence in International Cooperation Award". www.iafastro.org. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  47. ↑ "Three recommended for Winter Commencement honorary degrees | The University Record". record.umich.edu. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  48. ↑ "Bundesrat Rösti bei der AEROSUISSE-GV und Ehrung für Thomas Zurbuchen | AEROSUISSE / Dachverband der Schweizerischen Luft- und Raumfahrt". www.aerosuisse.ch. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  49. ↑ Priebe, Melissa F. (13 March 2024). "Annual Spencer Lecture Features Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen". Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  50. ↑ "Stratton Prize | American Swiss Foundation". www.americanswiss.org. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  51. ↑ "Public Service Award". AIAA - Shaping the future of aerospace. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  52. ↑ "Thomas Zurbuchen to be awarded with the Prix Suisse 2026". Staffnet. 2 June 2026. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  53. ↑ "History". kglw.net. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
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