Dr. Daniel Evans

Daniel Evans is the Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator for Research within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. In this role, Dr. Evans provides leadership and coordination of NASA’s science program, working to ensure the quality and integrity of all research in the space sciences, including: overseeing SMD scientific competition processes for research awards and flight programs; representing SMD research goals, policies and programs inside and outside of NASA; and increasing diversity and inclusion within the broad space-science ecosystem.

Previously, Dr. Evans was the Lead for Astrophysics Research Programs at NASA Headquarters, as well as the Program Scientist for the Physics of the Cosmos Program. Dr. Evans also served at the White House Office of Management and Budget as the Program Examiner for NASA Low Earth Orbit and Spaceflight Operations.

Prior to joining NASA in 2015, Dr. Evans served as a Program Director in NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences. Two of his major roles included serving as Program Director for the International Gemini Observatory and Head of the NSF Astronomy Grants Programs.

Dr. Evans’s research interests include the astrophysics of supermassive black holes, galaxy evolution, and relativistic jets.

Dr. Evans has appeared on numerous television networks to discuss his work, including the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, and the BBC. Most recently, Dr. Evans was named as a Smithsonian Institution “Future Is Here” lecturer.

Dr. Evans held postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University and MIT. He received his Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Bristol.

Dr. Evans can be contacted by email at: Daniel.A.Evans@nasa.gov