Office of the Chief Technologist
Dr. Bhanu Sood, Acting Chief Technologist
Dr. Bhanu Sood strategically manages NASA Goddard’s Internal Research and Development (IRAD) program that invests in advanced technologies for NASA’s future science and exploration missions. In this role, Dr. Sood develops and infuses innovative aerospace technologies through extensive partnerships across NASA Centers, commercial industry, and academia, working closely with Goddard’s three strategic focus areas, division technologists and Goddard’s technology community. He facilitates cross-Center collaboration through agency-wide investment mechanisms and actively champions technology transition pathways that connect early research to flight projects and commercial applications. During his NASA career, he has served in technical leadership roles supporting multiple missions including JWST, RST, PACE, JPSS and LANDSAT. Prior to joining NASA, Dr. Sood led partnerships with global electronics industry participants at the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering, advancing microelectronics development across complex supply chains. His contributions have been recognized with NASA awards, and he holds multiple patents in the field. Dr. Sood holds a doctorate in electronics reliability, master’s degrees in materials science and advanced materials processing, and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.