Van Hollen Statement on Appointment of Dr. Makenzie Lystrup as Director of NASA Goddard

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement on the appointment of Dr. Makenzie B. Lystrup to serve as the new Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center, located in Greenbelt, Md.:

“Dr. Lystrup is a highly accomplished scientist and has been a key partner to NASA on many of its major missions over the years, including the groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope. Her unique experience makes her well suited to take the helm at Goddard Space Flight Center and lead this world-class earth science and space exploration institution in its next chapter. I’m confident she’ll make our state and nation proud as she carries on Goddard’s tradition of better understanding planet Earth and unlocking the mysteries of our universe.”

Senator Van Hollen is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, which handles NASA appropriations and has long championed funding for NASA projects, including those housed at NASA Goddard and NASA Wallops.