Andy: Hello, space policy enthusiasts. Welcome to the Space Policy Pioneers Podcast. My name is Andy Williams and I'm the Director of Science in Space, a niche space policy consultancy firm. On this podcast, we'll talk to leading space policy experts and hear their informative and inspirational career stories to help you, the listener, learn about the different career paths in space policy and the skills you need to be successful.
If you enjoy this podcast, please help us by leaving a five star rating on your favorite podcast platform and sign up for more information and career resources at www.scienceinspace.co.uk. One final note before we begin, all guests are talking in their personal capacity and are not representing any official position of their former or current employing organization.
This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not legal or investment advice.
Andy: Our guest today is Laura Delgado Lopez. Laura is a Senior Policy Analyst in the Policy Branch of the NASA Science Mission Directorate, and she was just awarded a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship, so she's just starting a research sabbatical at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
So welcome to the Space Policy Pioneers podcast, Laura. Nice to have you here.
Laura: Thank you so much. It's great to be here.
Andy: Laura. So you've had a long and illustrious career in space policy which we will get to. But you started out doing a BA in political science, and then an MA at George Washington University on science and [00:02:00] technology policy. So at that time, were you looking for a career in space policy? What was your thinking back then?
Laura: I like to say that I sort of landed on space or stumbled on it. It happened between those two degrees. So, when I was studying my undergraduate degree in Puerto Rico, I applied for an opportunity to do an internship here in the Washington, D.C. area on the Hill, in Congress. And one of my duties as an intern was to sort the mail.
And I remember coming across this periodical at the time that Space News used to publish every week. And once I found out that no one else wanted to keep them I started hoarding them, because it just seemed incredible to me that you could fill the pages of a periodical like that with news of stuff going on related to space.
And so that piqued an interest that and, being able to sit at hearings and just learn about different things. And so I went back to Puerto Rico, finished my degree. And decided then that for graduate school, I would try my best to focus on space and try to figure out a path that way. But yes, I absolutely did not intend to go into this career at all. When I was dreaming up of careers as a child I knew very little about space.
So when I went to graduate school, I really focused on catching up and just getting myself up to a point where I could talk intelligently about it.
Andy: That's interesting because I would say a large majority of the people that I know in the space sector, they always had a very strong passion and interest . So I'm always curious when I find someone who space found them later on, and I guess that you were interested in politics and policy because [00:04:00] you chose a degree in the subjects at the time.
Laura: Yes, like what I like about space. Ironically, it's not so much the what, but the how. And so what attracted me to it was this very complex interplay between all these different actors, the fact that almost everything you do in space involves governments and academia and the private sector and civil society, all that mix of interests is really what drew me and attracted me and made me think that, okay, I'm not a scientist, I'm not an engineer, but I'm good at this and, and I get this. And so I can find a spot in this field. And so I will say I've made it a theme when I talk to young professionals and students and anyone interested about space to really emphasize that you don't have to have that emotional connection to space.
If you have it, that's great, right? If you grew up thinking you wanted to be an astronaut or figure out what's going on in the moons of Jupiter. That's awesome. But it's not, [00:05:00] it shouldn't be a requirement because a lot of us came to space later on and really found a home and find it really interesting and a fulfilling career without, without having that particular connection.
Andy: Yeah, I think that is great advice. So what happened after that then, after you finished your master's, can you walk us through your career?
Laura: Yeah, sure and I will say even, I didn't really know that this experiment had worked out until after, well after the degree. When I decided to go into graduate school I applied to 11 schools, which is way too many, and I had those two paths, the space science policy path, and then the more traditional public policy, political science path, because I thought that seemed more certain.
And so it really came down to the, I had financial need and a scholarship that I was offered by the Space Policy Institute really made it possible. That and[00:06:00] I was awarded a Truman Fellowship as well. And so the two of them made it possible for me to go to George Washington.
So I'm incredibly thankful because, obviously, the rest is history, but so I go into this career into this degree, like I said, I'm catching up. I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I finish and I go and start working at a small nonprofit in Virginia that did a lot of work with NASA at the time on the space and location side of things.
And then also I got involved with something called the Alliance for Earth Observations that brought together a lot of those actors, those different entities focused on the earth observations domain. So think about, companies that are building instruments, but then also government agencies at the other end of the spectrum.
So you have dialogue, right? And to talk about common issues. And so, again, I found myself really interested in that complex interplay of interests. And from then on, afterwards, I went to Secure World Foundation, which is hopefully very [00:07:00] familiar to the listeners of this podcast. And I did more international-focused work, kind of piggybacked on some of the research I had done in grad school. And I know we'll get to that because it relates to what I'm doing these days. But I really got to work more substantively on space policy issues and understand the international aspects of that and take some of the learning I had done about how to align interest and how to understand how different approaches impact a policy issue, but do it in a global scale.
And after that, I went to industry, I worked for a company called Harris, now it's L3Harris after a merger, but that was also a great experience just to understand more about how a large aerospace contractor thinks about strategic relationships.It was doing work for NASA and for other government agencies, other countries.
And so it's almost like I was circling the wagons a little bit. And although [00:08:00] that prepared me, I think, to then go into the job I have now at NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate. But so that's my path and very diverse sorts of experiences that I really think made me a better analyst at the end of the day.
Andy: Yes, you've worked in several different policy fields, you've worked in a commercial role, and looking back, it's often quite good, right, to have this diverse experience. So did you plan that or was it more that it was just applying to good opportunities as they arose?
Laura: Definitely happy accidents. I've never had an answer for “what do I want to be when I grow up”, in terms of a specific job or anything like that. That's something else I tell students if you don't have it, don't fret. You'll be fine. What I always knew though was what attracted me to the field.
So I always kept that front and center. Right? But then also my skill set. I enjoy–and I'm good at–public speaking, writing and research and analysis. And so I [00:09:00] would always want to keep open to opportunities. And so when an opportunity would come across, I would look at it quite openly, and I try to think about, okay, does it match those things that have been important to me up to this point? And does it match maybe a direction I want to explore, right?
Because you can also think about professional opportunities as filling different gaps. And so I think it's those sorts of concerns and thoughts that drove me to evaluate opportunities. I also had peer mentors, people that I could call up and say, Hey I'm applying to this job. Is that crazy? Do you think there's a path there? And, typically what good mentors will do is just help you come up with good framing questions. And help you understand how to approach that decision yourself.
And so at the end, I'm really happy with the path I've taken. It's not the result of a grand plan. It's, like I said, very much more tactical [00:10:00] oriented, but I think driven by: what do I see myself doing? What do I see myself being particularly good at? So that I can trust that even as I'm learning the ins and outs of different jobs, at the core, I know that I'm going to contribute and do good. Right? And that's worked well.
Andy: yeah that's really excellent advice. So let's just bring out two points that you've mentioned here because I want to reinforce it for the listeners. So you've mentioned the importance of having mentors. You know, for me, I came to this late. And, I think this is one of the big mistakes that I made that I didn't do this earlier on actually get some mentors.
I think it's really important to have an external person, just as you said, to frame the questions that you have and frame your decisions in a different sense. So it's really good advice for our space policy enthusiast listeners.
And then the second point that I wanted to mention that you had said is this idea that you [00:11:00] don't necessarily have to have a grand plan. Sometimes it's not the destination, it's about the journey. And I think you've made a really good point about evaluating the skills that you need to develop and looking for opportunities based on that rather than some overarching kind of destination that you were trying to get to. Yeah, I think that's really good advice.
Laura: And especially because I will say, you look at the titles of the jobs I've had, I've only had “space policy” in the title of my job in the current job I have at NASA, and actually that's not even the official title. The official title… government has to make their titles pretty consistent and cover a few buckets, doesn't actually say space policy analyst but it's not about the title, right?
And so I think if you're starting out, particularly when you're new to this, you think, oh, I need to be at the National Space Council, for example, because space policy [00:12:00] because it's got it in the title, or I need to be drafting National space policies. You're looking for those terms, but the truth is, as you go deeper and understand what space policy is and where it occurs you see that it's happening in this ecosystem and you can have really meaningful jobs that even involve all the aspects that you would need to integrate into a space policy career and or prepare you for that, even if it's not your job jarr. Right? And so I would describe all of the jobs I've had as as part of that narrative.
That really makes me a space policy analyst, even though it's not screaming space policy, just by looking at the title.
Andy: Yeah, exactly. And that's, that's one of the things that we're hoping to achieve with this podcast actually, is to really sort of paint the broader picture of this overall space policy ecosystem. And it's not just limited to roles in government, you know, with the title policy analyst[00:13:00] it's much broader as you've explained.
So could you talk a little bit about your experiences and the sort of difference between working for industry versus working for government? So how does this compare? What are the different challenges?
Laura: Sure, so, you know, both need and follow policy developments, but obviously with a very different lens, right? So, industry will have opportunities to influence and advocate for specific policy outcomes and always with the interest to, you know, advance particular goals of the company and have them be successful in the sector that they're in.
Right. And so it forces you to examine issues through a very particular lens. Um, and that gives you some very interesting, constraints, but also kind of freedoms, right? And so I was able to be very active in the space community, participating in committees and things like that, like professional [00:14:00] organizations, wearing my Harris hat in a way that was very both supported and open, right? It's very different from lobbying. It's more about, hey, I'm representing these interests in this context and government wants to understand what those interests are. Right? So that they can make good policy decisions.
Then you shift that to being in government. You know, policy strategies, sometimes policy direction ends up turning into new programs and activities.
So, you're trying to understand how potential policies will impact a given agency. Will it meet goals that are consistent with other objectives that the agency is already addressing? Is there funding to meet the new activities that are outlined in those activities?
So, it really changes I think the focus of how you might look at the same policy directive or language, right? So there's that from a big picture. I found my experiences, at least here in the D. C. area. And I've been here about [00:15:00] 15 years. The community is pretty small. And so, I was really interacting with people that maybe I would have interacted with anyway, wearing a different hat, um, as my colleagues. Right?
And so you also get people that maybe were retired from prestigious and long government careers that go into industry and vice versa. So the environment didn't feel that different to me. It's more about what's driving my day-to-day activities and what are sort of the constraints that I have to work in.
I found also that it's almost a matter of personal choice as well, which environment you can thrive in better. And so I do encourage people to try to test it out. Right. And also different sizes of organizations. I've worked in teams that are a dozen people, you meet everyone one day, and then I'm now, you know, like I said, at NASA - I haven't met everyone. And same in Harris, Harris is a big company, even when I was there before they merged with [00:16:00] L3. And so this idea of you are in a core team, that's part of a larger team is a very different mindset and scenario. And I think, you know, plays to the strengths of some people and some people might prefer a smaller type of organization.
Andy: Yeah, absolutely. So thanks. Thanks for sharing that. Now you've also had some work for the online publication, Space Policy Online –which, I should put this in the show notes because I think it's a really good source of information about the space policy field. So could you tell us a little bit about that? How did that role happen?
Laura: Definitely. So I met the editor and founder of Space Policy Online, Marcia Smith, when I did an internship here in DC at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. And at the time, I think I was part of the first cohort of what's now called the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship, and she was director of the Space Studies Board at the time.
And so I make that connection. [00:17:00] I was still in undergraduate, but then followed up with her, you know, as you do when you're trying to build a network. Having moved to the Washington, D. C. area full time now, a few years later, when I came back for graduate school, reached out and she was just starting to launch her website and she welcomed the help.
And she knew I was a strong writer and even then she took a big risk that I am eternally grateful for because I, like I said, I didn't know much about space. And so it ended up being a really perfect companion effort for me. I did it while I was studying my graduate degree. And so, again, I was fortunate because of the financial aid I received to be able to focus full time on my studies.but then do this correspondence role as a side gig to complement that experience. And so it, it was really invaluable because I think you probably found that [00:18:00] it isn't until you have to explain something to someone else in writing or in a verbal form that you figure out whether you really understand it or not.
And you know, I would, some of my duties sometimes would be, I'd listen to a hearing, you know, I'd go to a hearing in person or, or a webcast for three or four hours and then I had to figure out, okay, what is the news here? For people that are going to Space Policy Online, who are watching these issues day in and day out, they don't need to hear every single word. That's not my role, right? My role is to say, oh, uh, you know, Congress is really concerned about X or NASA is now saying that this program is facing certain challenges or something like that. And so it was a crash course in understanding how different issues were evolving while also, again, owning a skill that I just cannot overemphasize good writing skills are so essential for space policy analysts [00:19:00] that that was really, really important.
I mean, Marcia is an excellent writer. She's extremely efficient and she can pack a lot in a few sentences and so her editing my work and over time, you know, me kind of finding my rhythm and that voice. I think it's something I still see reflected in my written products today.
Andy: Yeah, absolutely. And I think one of the activities that you often find in a space policy type job is having to create policy briefs for decision makers and condense a complex situation and information into a very short space. Writing is a critical skill in that sense.
So you're on your fellowship now, but at the moment you have what could be described as the ultimate dream space policy job working at NASA and not just any part of NASA. It's the science mission directorate, which is [00:20:00] a kind of inspiration to many, many people around the world.
So please tell us a little bit about this role. What are you doing? What does a typical day look like?
Laura: Yeah, sure. So I agree. I think the job I have now is really kind of a culmination of a lot of work that I've done in my career. So, I'm very proud to have gotten there and I love the team I'm a part of. So, Policy Branch is pretty unique in that it really is the only group like that that exists at NASA and NASA headquarters.
There's a lot of policy expertise throughout the agency, but in terms of the size and kind of the scope of work that this group does, it's pretty unique. I will quote the policy branch chief, my boss, Jens Feeley, he describes it as a team that's focused on policy with a uppercase and policy with a lowercase.
So, uppercase policy is I think what you and I think about as policy most days, [00:21:00] which is implications of treaties, regulation and budgets and how that trickles down into policy guidance and national policy documents and things like that. We play a function in that team where we help kind of keep track of all those developments, help interpret where necessary. Internally when the US government is considering policy changes, you know, there's a review processand so we might be advocating for certain changes or additions to better reflect what we see going on in the world of science. So that's one side of the work.
Then the other side of the work is very internal focused and it pertains to what I see as both how that big, big “P” policy kind of impacts the agency, but also self-generated things and how NASA chooses to do its processes and activities. And so, yeah. The lower case P will include important things like, [00:22:00] you know, answering the questions of the auditors that are making sure NASA is spending, you know, taxpayer dollars properly. Sometimes it's developing and negotiating agreements with other agencies, sister agencies, like the National Science Foundation, for example, so that we can actually do work together.
So it's a very energetic type of work, you end up working with a lot of very different diverse teams across the agency. For example, in working on those agreements, you might have to engage with the attorneys often from the legal counsel office, financial folks who are tracking how the dollars are spent and all that, in addition to, obviously, the scientists and the engineers who know the ins and outs of the missions that they're working to execute. So, all in all, I think it's a really critical function because it's one of those things that happens behind the scenes to make sure that 100 plus projects that the Science Mission Directorate is managing at any one time are successful.
Andy: So,[00:23:00] the idea of working for NASA for many people, as I said, it's like a dream space sector job, but was there anything that really surprised you once you'd entered into the inside, let's say?
Laura: Yeah, I think, I mean, the Science Mission Directorate in particular has such a wonderful culture. I haven't worked for other parts of the agency. I understand the cultures are different. You know, people love working for NASA. So, different doesn't necessarily mean bad or worse or, yeah, doesn't mean bad, but, but different and I, one aspect, one word I would use to describe that environment is it's very interdisciplinary.
And so something that surprised me was I expected that there would be a lot of respect for the different science disciplines, right? And the experts that work in those fields. But I love that there's a lot of respect for my expertise. And for what [00:24:00] I can bring to the table, not being a scientist, not being an engineer. I can still, through my work, you know, email a division director with a concern or with a question and they know that they're happy to answer them and work with me and, answer the questions and provide information that I need because they know that I'm there to support them. There's a lot of respect for what expertise I bring and my knowledge of my discipline and so that surprised me.
I also, I think it surprised me how much I enjoy it and how much I value it and how much of a difference it makes when things are really busy and honestly, the days are long and super hectic, but those are the little things that happen in that cultural context that really make you feel like you fit in an organization.
But yeah, I'll end on that note of the interdisciplinarity. I also love just the passion that [00:25:00] people bring to the science questions that really drive the work. In headquarters, people kind of say grudgingly, it's not a very pretty building. Like, now we have something called the Earth Information Center, which is really cool, but outside of that, that's just where management is and, a lot of paper, we like to say, but it's still very exciting.
And there's talks and there's lectures and people love sharing the latest discoveries and developments. So whether it's the wonderful image from the James Webb Space Telescope or something we just learned about the soil in Mars, I just love that, really busy leaders are still just super excited when they get to talk about stuff like that.
Andy: that sounds amazing. It's one of the things I think everyone loves about space is the scientific aspects, the astronomy, the astrophysics, the planetary science, it's uniquely inspirational and something that just makes everyone excited and enthusiastic about the sector. [00:26:00] So that's great.
You're also on an advisory committee for the Secure World Foundation. And again, I'm going to stop here and say that I'm going to put a link in the show notes to this organization because I think it's one of the important space policy organizations out there. And they have an excellent newsletter actually which is really good resource and many interesting reports. They're looking to address some of the future challenges in the sector particularly in terms of security and sustainability. So maybe you can start off by telling us how did you get involved with the Secure World Foundation?
Laura: Sure, so that followed, you know, I was a staff member several years ago, kept in touch with them and Peter Martinez, when he came on as the director, he reached out because they were renewing and looking for new members in the advisory committee, and he invited me to join. And so I was incredibly pleased [00:27:00] and honored to do that.
It's a very diverse set of experts from across the global space community. Peter and the Secure World staff are very intentional about having and hearing those diverse views, even though they don't always agree with, you know, with a certain way of looking at issues. And so I get a lot out of those engagements, but I'm also happy to serve in a personal capacity and contribute expertise in some of the discussions.
I think their work is amazing and just yeah, meeting an important mission. You mentioned space sustainability, which is, hopefully not a new term for listeners, but I, one way to describe it is it boils down to the ability to continue to use space in the future. I think in the beginning there was this sense of space, it's just being vast and empty. And so there were certain actions that we took, you know, we space faring people, we took thinking that space [00:28:00] was infinite.
We’ve been, in the last 10 or so years, rethinking some of those actions to look more responsibly about how we use this resource, because it is limited, you know, if you think about the orbits and space debris concerns like that, but then also even the spectrum. Right? There's only so much. And so we're in a really exciting time where just the diversity and the volume of space activity is incredibly exciting, but it is raising a lot of sustainability challenges, which I think if you are interested in policy, that just means you're going to get to work on really cool issues and get to make a contribution.
But yeah there's definitely a lot we can talk about in terms of what's going on in the space sustainability field. And I would say Secure World is certainly the leader in that conversation.
Andy: Yeah, so you've touched on the subject of sustainability. What do you see as some other future challenges out there that space policy advisors will be working on?
Laura: I think in [00:29:00] the very beginning space was a domain of just nations, right? I think the private sector was always there in the sense that they were helping build the rockets and actually execute the activities. But today, it's such a diverse set of actors in terms of nations are not the only ones who matter.
We also have, you know, private, non-government institutions, you know, the private sector, but then also even, you know, you have satellites that are put together by teams of students, right? So, um, I think figuring out what the right roles and responsibilities among everyone should be is going to be a persisting challenge as we dream up new ways to do space.
And then also, honestly, figuring out the rules of the road for once it is possible to venture back out there in a more expansive way beyond all the work we've been doing in low Earth Orbit, right? And so there's been some really interesting studies about the moon, one–not just a lot smaller–but then also, if we're [00:30:00] depending on certain technologies, for example, capabilities that need solar energy to be able to operate, then that automatically narrows the list of locations to target for some of the work that you want to do.There are certain locations where we know there are resources that are of particular interest. Right? And so that means, okay, a lot more people are going to be trying to get to the same place. And so who has right of way? How do you handle accidents or emergencies should they occur? How do you align uses? You know, there could be science uses, there could be commercial uses, there could be other types of exploratory activities that, you know, we're going to have to figure out how do we prioritize them, right?
And so it's really, really complex and I think all of us might think, oh, it's too early to be thinking about that, but we're starting to see lunar activity, for example, pick up, right? And so I think it's going to be an area where it’s going to be better to try to figure out what things are going to [00:31:00] look like before it happens. That's problem to try to avoid it in the 1st place. Right? And so think about space debris. Well, we have a lot going on on Earth to try to minimize the generation of new debris and also think about how to, you know, collect debris that's already in orbit. So it doesn't threaten the lives of the astronauts up there or other satellites.
But it's a very different problem around the, um, around the moon, right? And so technologically, it's a very different problem. And so some of the policy solutions that we've come up with for the Earth environment are not going to work on the moon. So I say all that not to, bring it down because I actually think that's why it's amazing to encourage more people, different voices to the table because it is going to take creative solutions, and it is going to take, I think, people who come at it from a different perspective.
Andy: Yeah, absolutely. I feel like we need to really increase the diversity of perspectives and we need to bring in people [00:32:00] from other sectors and bring in the knowledge from other areas to really help us on this very long list of issues that you've mentioned.
So one, one particular issue is the subject of international cooperation. And I think this leads nicely onto your next adventure, which is the position that you've just started at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in DC, where you will research international space cooperation in Latin America. So tell us a little bit about this move and why are you interested in that subject in particular?
Laura: So when I was a student in the Space Policy Institute, my last kind of major paper focused on Sino-Latin America space cooperation. At the time, even then, I felt that this wasn't a subject that was sufficiently covered in academic literature, even in the media, and when it did come up, I felt that it was [00:33:00] really biased in, in some directions, because it only made those developments about great power politics.
And great power politics certainly have a role in those discussions, but I wanted to delve into that topic a little bit more and understand, okay, what are the drivers for decisions these countries are making, because I wanted it to be evident that these countries are making choices, right? They're not just playing along to a chess game that other people are playing. So I did some of the work, found it fascinating. Really wanted to revisit it and, then went into the career that we've talked about. And so I think I've picked up over the years experiences that have really prepared me to revisit that work and that issue more broadly in a meaningful way, but then also it's where we are. Right?
So, [00:34:00] in the last 10 or so years there has been expanded development in the space activities in the region, including with partners. Then also just politically there the United States has recently been talking a lot more about making commitments to engage with emerging space nations much more meaningfully.
And so I think I'm, revisiting this work is very timely because it's at a crux particular time when there are more opportunities, but then there's also a need to hopefully inform US strategy to to work with actors who approach space differently and who have a standpoint to think of and it's just a function of, you know, coming at it from a different standpoint, right?
It's a very different world, so I think the drivers that exist today are different from what the U.S. and, say, the Soviet Union faced at the time when they got started in their space programs, right? And so I applied and was extremely fortunate to be awarded a fellowship by the Council on Foreign [00:35:00] Relations, and that's what’s allowing me to do this work at CSIS and with the Americas program.
I purposely wanted to revisit this question of space partnerships in the region, but not through the lens of space. I love our community but I think sometimes we think everything begins and ends with space and that's not the case. And so my kind of operating assumption is that there's domestic and foreign policy drivers that are motivating these choices, and that it is to the benefit of both scholarship and also practitioners to understand these better. So I've just started. I'm hoping to, you know, publish a report at the end, but then also some shorter pieces along the way. So hopefully watch this space and some interesting developments.
Andy: Yeah. That's super interesting. Congratulations on that. And one of the things I've noticed, I mean, I've had the pleasure to attend the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. And it's [00:36:00] always fascinating to see how emerging space nations are really being active in developing their own policies based around their national interests. And, personally, I've never had time to kind of delve into the reasons behind this and why, but I mean, it sounds like you're going to, so that's really fascinating.
So you've shared a lot of great advice, uh, relating to your experience so far. So for the early career, space policy enthusiasts that are listening to this podcast, could you give us your top three points in terms of how to start along with this path.
Laura: Sure, I would say first, go for it. I can attest it seems daunting., You know, I studied political science, I'm from Puerto Rico, my parents are retired psychologists. I knew nothing about this. I knew no one who was doing this and I still was able to , you know, carve a path. I [00:37:00] think you will find the space community is very welcoming.
It's a community that wants to do good. And, really welcomes new voices and so if you kind of show up with commitment and integrity and passion and you're going to find a good home, so definitely go for it. I would say also find ways to engage that community and build your network and meet people. I think things like this are a way to see that there is no set path. And even as you make choices, kind of considerably in your career they're not the wrong choice, right? They're just a choice that you makethat you can integrate into the direction you want your career to take but a lot of that is having that something to rely on, which is that network and those colleagues and friends.
So how to do that if you're in school, definitely check out the student organizations. There's so many that that just give you an opportunity to be able to meet people that have similar interests. It might be something like the Space Generation Advisory Council, for [00:38:00] example, or professional organizations, again, have student member chapters or member rates that just allow you to start meeting people, participating in conferences, give papers. I think it's sometimes we think of just the conference as a way to meet people, but it's also a way to engage in the dialogue, right? If you yourself submitting papers and getting to give your own voice on some of the issues that you care about.
And I think the 3rd, one is, is we've talked about, you know. Say, yes, even to things that maybe you're not super comfortable doing, like, doing a podcast or doing an interview on TV or serving. Right? I had the privilege of serving on a board of the American Astronomical Society some years past. And, maybe at the time I felt that, oh, I wonder if I'm at the right point in my career to do something like this, and if I have something to contribute or do I even have the bandwidth? Right? And so it's a balancing act because it's really important for you to find the right work-life balance. And so [00:39:00] definitely make sure that you are meeting your other needs and the other things that are important to you, but where you can find those kind of unique opportunities that seem attractive to you, I think, go for it. And you can figure it out along the way.
Sometimes I think imposter syndrome is kind of painted in the negative light of, if I don't feel like I'm a hundred percent up to do it, I shouldn't do it. What I use that for is, okay, I'm going to say yes, and then I'm going to work really hard to make sure I do a good job. And so I just want to just send that message that for most things that relate to being active in the space policy community, say yes first, figure it out later.
Andy: Yeah, I think that is fantastic advice. I'm going to say, you know, I've been working for 20 years and sometimes I still have that feeling like, am I really belonging here? Am I the best person? So, it's not just something that happens to early career people. So, thank you for sharing that.
And I think the way around it in a way is to try and always adopt a kind of learning mindsets.[00:40:00] So just treat every opportunity that you have, even if it's a bit uncomfortable and you feel like you don't belong, just say, okay, I'm going to, I'm going to learn from this. And that usually helps.
So wrapping up here, what is the big picture? Where do you see yourself as part of it?
Laura: I think for me, the big picture is. Space is critical. Space is not the answer to everything and I don't think it should be. I think space is part of the tool set and the solutions, right? That we need to figure out how to use even better and more to address the big challenges that we're facing, and we are facing a lot, right?
Public health, the horrible natural disasters that we're seeing in parts of the world. And space can contribute to all of that. And so I see myself as helping figure out some of the governance challenges, some of the cooperation obstacles and some of the issues that, you know, human nature we put those obstacles in [00:41:00] our way and make things a little harder.
But it's really interesting and a really meaningful way to contribute to figure out how to address those so that space can continue to be integrated in a meaningful way in our lives. I do feel like I make a contribution and I know that's important for a lot of people, whether it's being a public servant or doing research that I think is answering important questions.
It's I think I go to bed at 9 thinking, okay, I'm doing something good that's also fascinating and interesting and that I'm passionate about. I, I also, like I said I don't want to equate it to, to other important things, you know, other career paths that are incredibly valuable and meaningful.
It's not about what's most important, but it's about you finding something that makes sense to you, that you're good at, and that you can make a difference. And I have been extremely fortunate in this career path that I chose, and I think it just goes to show you that you can take that plunge, and if something feels right, you know just go for it.
And [00:42:00] and hopefully it gets to a good place.
Andy: Well, Laura, you have shared some amazing advice to all the listeners here. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us today. Thank you.
Laura: My pleasure. I can't wait to hear the other podcast interviews that you're doing. I love hearing from my peers and other colleagues. And so thank you again for the invitation and, yeah, look forward to chatting again.
Andy: We hope you've been inspired by our journey through Space Policy Careers on the Space Policy Pioneers podcast. If you are passionate about carving your path in the cosmos, don't miss out. Head over to www.scienceinspace.co uk to explore our exclusive space policy, career coaching services, and supercharge your career today.
With insights from top space policy experts, and a track record of helping professionals like you succeed. [00:43:00] Science in Space is your trusted source for career growth. Please leave us a rating on your favorite podcast platform. Your five star rating not only shows your appreciation, but also helps us reach more space policy enthusiasts like you.
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Shownotes
Bio: Laura Delgado López is a Senior Policy Analyst at the NASA Science Mission Directorate’s Policy Branch, which provides policy support to the science leadership of the Agency. As a 2023-2024 Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow, she is currently on leave from NASA and is conducting research on international space cooperation in Latin America at the Americas Program of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Laura has worked in space policy in the Washington, DC, area for nearly 15 years. Prior to NASA, Laura was an advocacy lead at Harris Corporation’s Space and Intelligence Systems Segment, a Project Manager at the Secure World Foundation (SWF), the Earth Observations Associate at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, and a correspondent for SpacePolicyOnline.com.
Ms. Delgado López is a former Editor-in-Chief of Elsevier’s Space Policy journal, the premier peer-reviewed publication for the interdisciplinary study of space policy, and serves on the SWF Advisory Committee. Her research has focused on space politics and policy, international cooperation, and public opinion, and has been featured in Space Policy, Astropolitics, Space News, among other publications. She enjoys working with early career professionals and regularly volunteers as a mentor in the space community.
Ms. Delgado López holds an M.A. in international science and technology with a focus on space policy from the George Washington University and a B.A. in political science from the University of Puerto Rico.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-delgado-lopez
Disclaimer: All guests are talking in their personal capacity and are not representing any official position of their former or current employing organization.
Episode Summary: In this inspiring episode of the Space Policy Pioneers Podcast, host Andy Williams, the Director of Science in Space, interviews guest Laura Delgado Lopez, Senior Policy Analyst at NASA Science Mission Directorate. Laura shares her journey into the world of space policy, various career paths one can take in the industry, and the importance of international space cooperation. Conversations are geared towards career advice for aspiring space policy enthusiasts and include critical topics like sustainability challenges in space, diversifying the industry, and the practicalities of working for big organizations like NASA. Laura also discusses her role in policy-making, global implications of these policies, and her current research on international space cooperation in Latin America.
NOTE: Unfortunately, there was a technical issue during the recording, which resulted in less than optimal audio quality. Listening with headphones is recommended!
Episode Guide:
00:05 Introduction to the Space Policy Pioneers Podcast
01:14 Guest Introduction: Laura Delgado Lopez
01:51 Laura's Journey into Space Policy
03:29 The Role of Passion and Interest in Space Policy
05:01 Laura's Career Path and Experiences
08:04 The Importance of Diverse Experiences and Mentorship
12:49 Working in Different Policy Fields: Industry vs Government
16:05 Experience with Space Policy Online
19:28 Working at NASA: The Dream Space Policy Job
25:50 Role in the Advisory Committee for the Secure World Foundation
28:41 Future Challenges in Space Policy
32:02 Research on International Space Cooperation in Latin America
36:16 Advice for Early Career Space Policy Enthusiasts
39:58 Laura's Big Picture and Role in the Space Policy Field
42:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Links and Resources
Companies and organisations
NASA Science Mission Directorate: https://science.nasa.gov/
Dr Jens Feeley: https://science.nasa.gov/people/dr-jens-feeley/
NASA Careers: https://www.nasa.gov/careers/
National Academies: Science Engineering Medicine: https://www.nationalacademies.org/
Secure World Foundation: https://swfound.org/
SWF Director, Peter Martinez: https://swfound.org/about-us/our-team/dr-peter-martinez/
L3Harris: https://www.l3harris.com/
Centre for Strategic and International Studies: https://www.csis.org/
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/copuos/index.html
Space Generation Advisory Council https://spacegeneration.org
Education
George Washington University: https://politicalscience.columbian.gwu.edu/
Elliot School of International Affairs: https://elliott.gwu.edu/international-science-and-technology-policy
GWU Space Policy Institute: https://spi.elliott.gwu.edu/
Fellowships and Internships
Truman Fellowship: https://www.truman.gov/
Lloyd V Berkner Space Policy Internship: https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/lloyd-v-berkner-space-policy-internship-program
Space Policy Information Sources
SpaceNews: https://spacenews.com/
Space Policy Online: https://spacepolicyonline.com/
Marcia Smith: https://twitter.com/SpcPlcyOnline
SWF Newsletter: https://swfound.org/news/newsletters/
