Arizona State University’s Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes is excited to welcome Dr. Zach Pirtle as Professor of Practice in the ASU College of Global Futures and Deputy Director of CSPO in Washington, DC.
Zach brings a rare combination of senior federal experience and interdisciplinary scholarship. At NASA, he served as a Program Executive in the Science Mission Directorate and as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, helping shape mission architecture, acquisition strategy, and agency-wide approaches, including work on ethical, legal, and societal implications (ELSI) in space exploration specifically and U.S. technology policy more broadly.
A scholar of engineering ethics and innovation, Pirtle’s research examines how technical systems, public values, and policy frameworks intersect in complex sociotechnical challenges. He holds a PhD in systems engineering from George Washington University and a BS in mechanical engineering, a BA in philosophy, and an MS in civil and environmental engineering from Arizona State University.
At CSPO, Pirtle will develop new initiatives in space policy, strengthen our engagement with federal science and technology leaders, and help build new education and policy programs across social science research and real-world technology governance issues.
Please join us in welcoming Zach to ASU and CSPO!