Greg Autry
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Mail code: 1221Campus: Dtphx
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Greg Autry is a Clinical Professor and Director of the Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy, and Business in the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and an Affiliate Professor with the Interplanetary Initiative at Arizona State University. Professor Autry holds a BA in History from California Polytechnic University at Pomona and an MBA and PhD from the Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine.
Prior to joining the Thunderbird faculty, he taught entrepreneurship with the Lloyd Greif Center at the University of Southern California from 2013 to 2020. He taught entrepreneurship, strategy, and macroeconomics at the University of California, Irvine, between 2002 and 2014. Autry has also taught space entrepreneurship at the Kennedy Space Center as part of a graduate certificate program in commercial space from International Space University and the Florida Institute of Technology (2019-2021).
Autry's research focuses on the governmental role in the emergence of new industries, and he has researched within the commercial space industry since 2003. His extensive experience in space policy includes serving on the 2016 NASA agency review team. Autry served as NASA White House Liaison in 2017, and in 2020 the President nominated him to serve as the space agency’s Chief Financial Officer. He also served as Chair of the Safety Working Group in the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) at FAA. Autry has been a notable advocate for space exploration and development. Currently, he serves as Vice President of the National Space Society a non-profit organization dedicated to extending humanity’s presence into our solar system.
Before entering higher education, Autry had a career as a serial entrepreneur, founding several technology startups. These ventures included a video game developer, computer services firm, and an enterprise software development company in the clinical healthcare space.
Autry publishes frequently in the business and popular press, writing on space, entrepreneurship, and policy. He writes frequently for Foreign Policy and Space News and is a regular science contributor at Forbes. His insights are frequently featured in major media outlets including CNN, NPR, the BBC, Space News, Foreign Policy, Wall Street Journal, Politico and the LA Times.
PhD Management (Econ & Public Policy), UC Irvine, 2013
MBA, University of California at Irvine, 2002
BA History, California Polytechnic University at Pomona, 1999
Themes: Governmental roles in the emergence of new industries, entrepreneurial driven economic development, sustainability
Research Context: Global commercial spaceflight sector. Space launch, satellites, energy, human spaceflight, communications, data, resources, services
Methods: qualitative, participatory ethnography, grounded theory, case studies
Theoretical Lenses: Process theory, organizational / community evolution, population ecology, legitimacy theory
Selected Published Papers
Autry, Greg. "The functions of the FAA’s commercial space transportation advisory committee: The safety working group’s 2020 tasker as context." Journal of Space Safety Engineering (2021).
Autry, Greg. PhD Dissertation: Exploring New Space: Governmental roles in the emergence of new communities of high-technology organizations. University of California, Irvine, 2013. Dissertation Committee: Yan Gong, Peter Navarro, Claudia Bird Schoonhoven
Hubbard, Moderators: Scott, Ken Davidian, Participants: Patti Grace Smith, Elliot Pulham, Greg Autry, and Patricia Cooper. "The Strategic Status of New Space." New Space 1, no. 3 (2013): 117-122.Autry, Greg, and Laura Huang. "An analysis of the competitive advantage of the United States of America in commercial human orbital spaceflight markets." New Space 2, no. 2 (2014): 83-110.
Autry, Greg. "Commercial Orbital Transportation Services: A Case Study for National Industrial Policy." New Space 6, no. 3 (2018): 191-200.
Autry, Greg. "Space policy, intergenerational ethics, and the environment." In AIAA SPACE 2011 Conference & Exposition, p. 7330. 2011.
Autry, Greg, and Kenneth J. Davidian. "A review of the competitive advantage of the United States of America in commercial human orbital spaceflight markets." In AIAA SPACE 2014 Conference and Exposition, p. 4202. 2014.
Autry, Greg, and Peter Navarro. "Leveraging business cycle ups and downs." Financial Executive 25, no. 10 (2009): 36-42.
Huang, Laura, and Greg Autry. “Rebels with a Cause: Perceptions, Beliefs, and the Coopetitive Dynamics of Entrepreneurs in the Emergence of the New Space Industry,” Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research 34, no. 19 (2014): 12.
Scott Hubbard, Ken Davidian, Ward Hanson, Greg Autry, and Bruce Pittman. "Emerging Commercial Remote Sensing: Economic Perspective." New Space 3, no. 1 (2015): 10-18.
Scott Hubbard, Ken Davidian, Patti Grace Smith, Elliot Pulham, Greg Autry, and Patricia Cooper. "The Strategic Status of New Space." New Space 1, no. 3 (2013): 117-122.
Selected Business Case Studies
Bhattacharya, B., Autry, G & Perry V. 2020 “Relativity Space: Rocketing into the Future of Manufacturing,” Greif Center Collection,Harvard Business School Publishing Case Catalog
Autry, G. & Obasaju, L. 2018 “Mojave Spaceport: Entrepreneurship in the Public Sector,” Greif Center Collection, Harvard Business School Publishing Case Catalog
Autry, G., Huang, L. 2016 Strawther, Zhu, “XCOR Aerospace: New Space, New Place?” Greif Center Collection, Harvard Business School Publishing Case Catalog
Autry, G., Huang L., Dann, Kim, Siward, “RelishMIX: Building Social Media Management Tools for Hollywood” Greif Center Collection, Harvard Business School Publishing Case Catalog
Book
Navarro, P. and Autry, G. 2011. Death by China: Confronting the Dragon, A Global Call to Action. Prentice Hall / Pearson. Amazon Bestsellers Ranks on 4/25/2018: #3 International Economics, #5 Political Freedom, #1 Trade & Tariffs
Selected Conference Presentations
Autry, G. and Davidian, K. 2019, "Process Approach for Organizational Change and Innovation Research", Research Caucus, Academy of Management Conference, Boston MA. Panel: Andy Van de Ven, Jennifer Woolley, Andy Aldrin
Huang, L. and Autry, G. “Rebels with a Cause: Perceptions, Beliefs, and the Coopetitive Dynamics of Entrepreneurs in the Emergence of the New Space Industry,” Presentation at Babson College Entrepreneurial Research Conference, 2014
“Trade Tensions”, UBS European Conference, London, UK. November 12, 2019
“The Economist Debate: Free Trade”, World Trade Symposium (The Economist), New York City, November 7, 2019. Voted debate winner by audience.
“Mission Opportunities: Gateway to the Three Comma Club”, Panel Moderator with: General Steven Butow; Col. Charles Miller Belmont; Tow Cwik, NASA JPL; Steven Isakowitz, CEO Aerospace Corp. Air Force Space Pitch Day, San Francisco, CA. November 6, 2019
“Failure is an option: Lessons from the Commercialization of U.S. Spaceflight”, UDIP Conference, Oxford University, UK. Plenary Session, August 1, 2019
“Japan - U.S. Conference on Peace in Northeast Asia 2019”, Panelist with former senior US, Japan, Korea diplomats and military leaders, Tokyo Japan, January 17, 2019
“Space Force”, Panel Moderator with: Doug Loverro, former Deputy Sec. Def.; Terry Virts, former NASA Astronaut; George Nield, Former FAA Ast. Admin.; Brian Weeden, Secure World Foundation. Politicon, Los Angeles, CA, October 12, 2018
“Commercial Space Regulation” Panel Moderator with: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Dr. George Nield, Lorretta Whitesides. International Space Development Conference, Los Angeles, CA, May 27, 2018
“Funding Innovation” Space Symposium, Tech Track Speech, Colorado Springs, CO, May 14, 2018
“Space Policy in the Trump Age” Space Technology and Investment Forum, Plenary Session, San Francisco, CA., August 30 2017
“Commercial Spaceflight” Heritage Foundation, Eagle Forum Collegians Summit Washington, D.C., July 19, 2017
“The View from Beijing: Chinese Space Efforts Past, Present and Future” Space Technology and Investment Forum, Plenary Session, San Francisco, CA., August 2016
“Debate on the Trans Pacific Partnership” American Manufacturing Strategies Summit, v. Dan Ikenson, CATO. Costa Mesa, California, November 2015. Voted debate winner by audience.
“Overview of U.S. National Competitive Advantage in Human Orbital Spaceflight” American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (SPACE 2014), San Diego, California, September 2014
“Overview of PARTS Analysis”, Emerging Space Industry Leaders Workshop, Stanford University Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford, California May 29-30, 2014
“California’s New Space Industry” Panel Moderator, California Democratic Party Convention, Sacramento, California, April 29, 2011
Textbook, in process
Autry, G. Small Business Management: The New Entrepreneurial Dynamic. Manuscript complete. Publication by Flatworld, Fall 2021.
Research Raper in process
Autry, G., Aldrin A. & Coutu, S. 2021 “An Economic Analysis of the Value of Space Flown Objects”
Case Study in process
Autry, G., Aldrin A. & Yin P. 2021 “Selling the Moon: Masten Space” (working case study)
Courses
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| TGM 596 | Thunderbird Experiencial Pract |
| TGM 586 | Glbl Entrepr & Sus Bus |
| TGM 560 | Space/Global Future Leaders |
| TAM 542 | Global Ldrshp & Personal Devlp |
| TGM 586 | Glbl Entrepr & Sus Bus |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| TGM 586 | Glbl Entrepr & Sus Bus |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| TGM 586 | Glbl Entrepr & Sus Bus |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| TGM 586 | Glbl Entrepr & Sus Bus |
| TGM 597 | Thunderbird PLD |
| TGM 598 | Special Topics |
| TGM 598 | Special Topics |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| TGM 594 | Conference and Workshop |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| TGM 598 | Special Topics |
| TGM 598 | Special Topics |
| TGM 598 | Special Topics |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| TGM 586 | Glbl Entrepr & Sus Bus |
| TGM 586 | Glbl Entrepr & Sus Bus |
| TGM 598 | Special Topics |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| TGM 586 | Glbl Entrepr & Sus Bus |
Editorial Board, New Space Journal
Peer reviewed journal focused on entrepreneurial space activities, founded by Dr. G. Scott Hubbard, Stanford University. 2015 – current
Editorial Board, Space Force Journal
Peer reviewed journal focused on issues related to the United States Space Force and strategic leadership in the space domain. 2020 – current
Vice President of Space Development and Board Member, National Space Society The oldest and most important grassroots space advocacy organization. May 2018 – Current
Vice President of Economic Vibrancy, Beyond Earth Institute. Think tank dedicated to human settlement of space.
Member, Academy of Management
Member, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
External Examiner DPhil viva (PhD defense) Oxford University, Computrer Science. James Pavur, Rhodes Scholar. Thesis entitled "Securing New Space: On Satellite Cybersecurity", Summer 2021
White House Liaison, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Temporary Appointment as NASA employee responsible for interfacing to the White House and onboarding new leadership. January 2017 – February 2017
Nominee, Chief Financial Officer, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Nomination July 27, 2020. Confirmation process delayed by COVID, unexpected Supreme Court Justice Confirmation and other “2020 issues.” Cleared committee by vote on December 2, 2020. Senate failed to schedule a full vote before final session and nomination expired on January 2, 2021.
Chair, Safety Working Group of the U.S. Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC), FAA Appointed by Secretary of Transportation, Elaine Chao, to Federal Advisory Committee (FACA). June 2018 – April 2020. Reappointed May 2020 thru 2022.
Member, Agency Review Team, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Member of eight-person executive team tasked with reviewing, analyzing, prioritizing NASA’s goals, programs and budgets and forwarding policy recommendations to the White House. The centerpiece of these recommendations was the sustainable return to the Moon program (Artemis) leveraging international and public-private partnerships. This program has been re-endorsed by the Biden administration. December 2016 – January 2017.
Chair, International Space Development Conference 2019, Washington DC. One of the largest space conferences with @1,500 attendees. Speakers included: NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, NASA Associate Administrator for Science Mission Directorate Thomas Zurbuchen and National Space Council Executive Secretary Scott Pace.
Member of the Board and Vice President of Space Development, National Space Society The oldest and most important grassroots space advocacy organization. May 2018 – Current
Advisor, Relativity Space. Advised former USC students Jordan Noone and Tim Ellis since the founding of their 3D Printed Rocket startup. Signed as official Advisor in 2019. Firm has raised over $650 million.
Board Member, Interstellar Labs. New Space Startup headquartered in Paris, France. Dedicated to producing enhanced environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) via a closed environment habitat (biodome) research and eco-tourist destination. Facilities targeted for construction in Mojave California and Kennedy Space Center. 2019 – Current
Co-Founder, 121C Inc. / Elevated Materials. Commercial spacecraft carbon fiber upcycling into OEM manufactured goods. Raised over $200k in crowdfunding and $1.2million in private seed capital. Negotiated material supply with SpaceX, Virgin and Boeing. 2014 – Current
CEO, Network Corps.Enterprise application development firm focused on Health Care solutions for Kaiser Permanente. Apple authorized developer. (Sold network-engineering division to Enhanced Technologies). January 1997 – August 2014
CEO, Wired Images. Digital Web Content production for Internet retailers, sold to PlanetRx.com.1999 – 2000
Technical Services Manager, CompuCom Systems. Managed service operations for IT solutions at CompuCom after being acquired. 1994 – 1997
CEO, Riverside Doctor Micro Computer Services. Apple authorized dealer and Computer services firm sold to CompuCom Systems (NASDAQ: CMPC) in 1994. 1986 – 1994
Programmer, Hemascience Labs / Baxter Fenwal. Software development for medical device. 1984 – 1986.
Software Engineer, Honeywell Training and Control Systems Division. Software for production engineering on various military projects. 1983 – 1984
CoFounder & CEO, HAL LABS. Entertainment Software developer. Founded in high school, this firm developed Atarisoft PAC MAN for Apple II and was eventually reorganized by my partner as Future Point and sold to Blizzard Entertainment. 1981-1994