Dr. Therese Moretto-Jorgenson’s visionary leadership and her dedication to innovation, diversity, and development of future leaders has had an enormous impact in the field of space sciences. During her tenure as a program director and then Head of the National Science Foundation’s Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences section from 2004 to 2017 she was initiated ground-breaking programs that remain pathfinding examples of how government scientists can make major behind-the-scenes contributions to transform how entire communities of scientists work and interact. Therese’s early leadership in the National Space Weather Program resulted in the first national strategy for research into the physics of space weather and the potentially catastrophic impacts that an extreme event could have on our national infrastructure. Following on her work on the NSWP, Therese led the NSF contributions to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) task force, the first whole-of-government approach to prepare the nation for an extreme space weather event. Most significantly, but perhaps less well known, is Therese’s major contribution to the most innovative space research development in decades: the CubeSat revolution. Therese’s early support for CubeSat missions at the NSF played no small part in their transformation from educational curiosities to a world-wide phenomenon in low-cost access to space that has radically expanded the opportunity for thousands of scientists from all backgrounds to build, launch, and operate spacecraft in orbit. CubeSats have also led to a revolution in the commercial use of space, creating entirely new markets for space-based data and services.

Therese Moretto-Jorgenson received her Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Oxford University in 1993 following her matriculation from Aarhus University in Denmark with a Master’s degree in physics and mathematics. She went on to work as a research scientist at the Danish Meteorological Institute where she developed her permanent love of space research, working as an instrument Principal Investigator and Project Scientist on the Ørsted satellite mission. In 2000, Therese moved to the US to work at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and then in 2004 to the NSF where she was a Program Manager on the unique AMPERE public-private partnership with Johns Hopkins University, Iridium Communications LLC, and Boeing corporation, the SuperMag global magnetometer network, the SuperDARN radar network, and 15 CubeSat missions which formed the foundation for the explosion of CubeSat missions we see today. Throughout her 20 years of leadership as a government servant, educator, and policy leader, Therese has consistently focused on developing the next generation of leaders in the space sciences. She was a mentor to many current Program Managers at the NSF/AGS and now supervises several graduate students and post-docs in her current position at the University of Bergen in Norway. Therese Moretto-Jorgenson accomplishments exemplify the major contributions that quiet but steadfast leadership in innovative research management can make to entire generations of scientists.

— Thomas Berger, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

Heartfelt thanks go to Tom for the generous citation, to friends and colleagues for supporting my nomination and to the awards committee for their vote of confidence. I couldn’t imagine a bigger honor than this recognition of my efforts on activities that I am so deeply passionate about: working across disciplinary boundaries, implementing innovative solutions in space physics research, promoting diversity and inclusion in science, and supporting the education and careers of young colleagues. Obviously revolutionary change does not result from the actions of one person alone. Many individuals, not to say several entire communities, share in the credit for the accomplishments of the programs and initiatives I have had the good fortune of working on. Without bridge builders in these communities establishing fruitful new collaborations between cubesat engineers and space scientists, between space weather operators and researchers, or between commercial space operators and geospace physicists, the innovations and developments would not have been possible. Further, without the embrace and adoption of the new ideas and approaches by the wider communities, their impact would have remained limited. Finally, without the steadfast backing from leadership and colleagues at NSF, I would not have been given the opportunities, nor have been able to make much of them. I owe Rich Behnke, Bob Robinson, and very many other dear friends and colleagues, both at NSF and beyond, a depth of gratitude for making great things happen together, and doing so with enthusiasm and enjoyment. I first joined the geophysics community almost three decades ago, when Eigil Friis-Christensen took a chance on me and employed me as a researcher on the Ørsted geomagnetism mission. Eigil was a treasured mentor who taught me, amongst many others, valuable lessons of the power of kindness, collaboration and visionary leadership in science. I am proud to carry on his legacy. Similarly, I would be remiss to not acknowledge the deep roots of social responsibility and caring instilled in me during my upbringing. My parents, Inge and H.E. Jørgensen, are some of the most big-hearted individuals I know and their love of life and people remains a huge inspiration. Most importantly, I owe my achievements in no small measures to the unwavering support of Michael, the love of my life, best sparring partner, and most ardent confidence booster, and our children, Benjamin, Sebastian, and Sabrina, who all are such an incredible source of love, joy, and strength for me. - Therese Moretto Jorgensen, NASA Ames Research Center, Seaside, CA