UTA Alumna Leads NASA's Artemis Program

Published on April 09, 2026

UTA alumna Dr. Lori Glaze leads NASA’s Artemis program which is developing capabilities and preparing astronauts for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

This article by UTA Alumni Relations was originally published in 2025 and is republished with permission.

University of Texas at Arlington alumna, Dr. Lori Glaze, leads NASA’s Artemis program that is developing capabilities and preparing astronauts for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

Artemis II, which launched on April 1, 2026 for a trip around the Moon, builds on the success of the uncrewed Artemis I in 2022 and will demonstrate a broad range of capabilities needed on deep space missions. The Artemis II test flight is NASA’s first mission with crew aboard the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft.

Dr. Glaze spoke with UTA Alumni Relations in 2025 to share her story.

Tell us about yourself.

I grew up mostly in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (with short stints in Slidell, Louisiana, and Bellevue, Washington), graduating from James Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas, in 1982. Currently, I live in Bowie, Maryland, (named after 19th century MD Governor Oden Bowie and no relation to Jim Bowie) with my husband and high school sweetheart Terry Glaze ('87 BA, History), and my mother-in-law, Judy Glaze. My two daughters live nearby in suburban Maryland.

Why did you choose to attend UTA?

Terry and I both chose UTA because it was close to our parents’ homes so we could easily commute. It was also very economical, and we could be close to each other. I received an excellent education at UTA and would never have ended up where I am today had I gone someplace else.

What inspired you to study physics?

I had always loved math and science; calculus in particular. I loved (and still do) how physical processes could be described by elegant mathematical formulations. Even more cool to me was that for my master’s degree I was able to apply my physics and math background to solve problems related to volcanic lava flows and explosive ash eruptions.

Describe your UTA experience. How did UTA help prepare you for your career?

UTA set me on the path for my future career. As an undergraduate, I took a volcanology class in the geology department that was taught by world-renowned volcanologist Steve Self. I loved the class so much that I stayed on to complete a master’s degree jointly between the physics and geology departments. For my master’s thesis, I developed a mathematical model that described the downwind diffusion and deposition of volcanic ash. I also learned to use weather satellite data to observe volcanic eruptions. I continued to work in both areas throughout my career as a scientist, applying my physical models and image interpretation skills to volcanoes across the solar system. I still work with Steve Self and we even published a scientific paper together a few years ago.

Completely unrelated to my future career, some of my favorite memories of UTA are from my time in UTA’s modern dance ensemble. I was able to perform in multiple shows including a lead role in an original piece choreographed by our director and set to an original piece of music written and performed by a UTA student. I also performed in the UTA productions of “Two Gentlemen of Verona” and “Company."

"Be passionate about whatever it is that you love doing. And don’t be afraid to expand beyond your comfort zone. That is where you learn new things that can inspire you to do more." - Dr. Lori Glaze

What is your current professional position? What do you do in this role?

My current role is to lead NASA’s Artemis program that is developing capabilities and preparing astronauts for human exploration of the Moon and Mars. It is an amazing time to be in this role! NASA is poised to launch four astronauts (three Americans and one Canadian) on a trip around the moon in April of 2026, and in mid-2027, land astronauts on the moon for the first time since 1972. In my role as the associate administrator (AA, acting) for exploration systems development at NASA, I oversee the Moon to Mars program that is made up of the Space Launch System rocket, Orion Crew Module, Exploration Ground Systems at Kennedy Space Center to support Artemis launches, Human Landing Systems build by SpaceX and Blue Origin that will land our astronauts on the moon, the Gateway space station that will serve as an outpost for exploration of the Moon and Mars, space suits and rovers for lunar surface exploration, and planning for future capabilities that will be required to establish a sustained human presence on the moon and to send human explorers to Mars. In addition to the work being done in the U.S. by NASA’s industry and commercial partners, I work closely with multiple international partners in Europe, Japan, Canada, Italy, Germany, United Arab Emirates, and others, that are providing key components of Artemis.

Describe your path to your current position. What have you learned along the way?

It’s been an interesting journey! I never thought I would end up at NASA headquarters, let alone leading a human exploration program. A key part of my journey has been amazing mentors and a repeated pattern of getting out of my comfort zone to learn new things. My path started at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. I met JPL volcanologist David Pieri who came to give a talk at UTA while I was a master’s student. I was lucky enough to get a job working with him at JPL after my master’s on an idea to fly a satellite dedicated to observing volcanoes on Earth. The satellite never flew, but my time at JPL was very influential. It was while I was there that I began to apply my skills to better understand volcanoes on Mars and Venus and fell in love with planetary science. I also began to realize my passion for science research so decided to pursue a PhD at Lancaster University in England working with another renowned volcanologist, Lionel Wilson. I was fortunate to be able to work on my PhD while I continued working at JPL.