Michael Kelley

Michael Kelley is a Program Scientist in NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, and for NASA’s NEOWISE, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Odyssey, and Dawn missions.

Dr. Kelley holds a bachelor’s degree in geophysics from the University of Connecticut, and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in geology from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Before coming to NASA Headquarters, Dr. Kelley was a faculty member at Georgia Southern University and a National Research Council Fellow at NASA Johnson Space Center.

He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America (GSA), former chair of GSA’s Planetary Geology Division, and a recipient of GSA’s Ronald Greeley Award for Distinguished Service. He also is a recipient of the Antarctic Service Medal. Main-belt asteroid 4477 Kelley was named in his honor.

Dr. Kelley is a frequent science and exploration speaker at schools and public events, including the biannual “Mars New Year” celebration held in Mars, Pennsylvania, to inform citizens about Mars exploration.

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