Dr. Nigel A. Ziyad
Computer Engineer
NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center

It was during kindergarten lessons about George Washington Carver and Thomas Edison that Nigel Ziyad first became enthralled with science. Later, his sixth-grade teacher spurred her excellent student to reach beyond his troubles to a better education. Ziyad applied and was accepted to the prestigious Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., where his desire to become an electrical engineer blossomed in the school's new computer room.

Ziyad's professional and educational experiences have been broad. At McDonnell Douglas, he developed vital software tools for the Navy F/A-18 aircraft operational flight program. Later, he did critical work for GE Research Center, developing fiber optics for medical system applications. At NASA-Goddard, he leads a team working on AMTAS, which is a software tool to automate monitoring of spacecraft by satellite control centers, and has received two Special Act awards for "excellent mentoring and educational outreach" to support student summer programs. Ziyad has three degrees in electrical engineering -- a B.Sc. from Cornell, a master's from University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. from Howard.