Dr. Tapley holds the Clare Cockrell Williams Centennial Chair in Engineering and is director of the Center for Space Research. Since 1997, he has served as the mission principal investigator for the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission that is providing the first global and near synoptic measurements of mass exchange between the Earth’s atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and land components. He has served as a principal investigator for seven additional NASA missions. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow member of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). His recognitions include NASA Medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and Exceptional Public Service, the American Astronomical Society Brouwer Award, the AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award, the AGU Charles A. Whitten Medal, University of Texas Distinguished Engineering Graduate and the Doctor Honorius Causa from Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands. He has served on numerous government and National Research Council advisory panels. Currently, he is member of the NASA Advisory Committee, the deputy chair of the NAC Science Committee and the chair of the Earth Science Subcommittee.
