Life as an Astropolitician

Reta Beebe

Astronomy Professor Reta Beebe will start off the Spring 2007 Colloquium Series for the College of Arts and Sciences. She has been a professor at NMSU for more than 30 years, and has made substantial service contributions to the planetary science community throughout her long career, through her work on advisory committees, in elective office, and providing supporting observations for planetary missions.

Reta is the director of the NASA Planetary Atmospheres Data Node, which is located at NMSU, and chairs the Committee for Planetary and Lunar Exploration (COMPLEX), the principle committee of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Science. This committee oversees the implementation of the Decadal Plan for Planetary Astronomy in the nation from 2003-2013. She has served as the Discipline Scientist for the Planetary Atmospheres program at NASA headquarters. She has served on the NRC Committee on Planetary and Lunar Exploration and now is its chair. She has served on numerous other working groups and commissions and has helped review myriad programs.

Reta was elected Chair of the Division of Planetary Sciences (DPS) from 1992 to 1993, and served on the DPS Committee from 1981 to 1984. As Chair of the NRC Giant Planets Discipline Panel of the NRC Solar System Exploration Survey, she engaged in extensive outreach to the planetary community to ensure maximum community input to their deliberations.

Reta was recently selected as the recipient of the 2003 Harold Masursky Award for outstanding service to planetary science and exploration, by the DPS of the American Astronomical Society. "I was quite surprised," said Beebe. "It was not one single act of brilliance; instead the (planetary) community chose to honor me for my accumulated work." This award recognizes and honors individuals who have rendered outstanding service to planetary science and exploration through engineering, managerial, programmatic or public service activities.

More information on the College of Arts and Sciences Colloquium Series can be found here.