Dr. Thomas P. Wagner

Dr. Thomas P. Wagner is the Associate Director for Earth Action in NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) at Headquarters in Washington, D.C. In this role, he oversees program areas and services to use NASA’s Earth observations to solve real-world challenges. Dr. Wagner has expertise in Earth and planetary science, including technical and program leadership in mission development and strategy, research program management, and polar exploration. 

Dr. Wagner joined NASA’s Earth Science Division in 2009 as Cryosphere Program Scientist, where he directed activities for the Earth’s polar regions and global cryosphere, including research on climate, sea level rise, weather, and water resources. Dr. Wagner was Program Scientist for NASA’s ICESat-2 mission, a space-based lidar to characterize the heights of global ice and forest cover. He also designed and oversaw the Operation IceBridge mission, the largest-ever aircraft survey of the Earth’s polar ice sheets. 

During his NASA career, Dr. Wagner also worked in the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters. He served as Program Scientist for the Discovery Program, which selects new missions for exploration of the solar system, and the DragonFly mission, which will search for precursors to life on Saturn’s moon Titan. 

Prior to joining NASA, Dr. Wagner was the Program Director for Antarctic Earth Sciences at the US National Science Foundation. There, he oversaw work on the Antarctic continent and Southern Ocean and helped plan the US research program for the International Polar Year (2007-2009). He has been to the South Pole six times.

Throughout his career, Dr. Wagner has worked extensively with U.S. and international agencies and institutions, including the National Academies, World Bank, and various White House committees. 

Dr. Wagner earned a B.S. in Geology at the State University of New York at Binghamton and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with thesis research on volcanoes of the Earth and moon. After graduate school, Dr. Wagner spent six years as a lecturer and administrator at the University of Papua New Guinea, where he collaborated with biologists and archaeologists on the study of coral reefs, volcanoes, and other Earth science topics.

Dr. Wagner’s love of science and technology translates to a passion for engaging the public. In addition to speaking engagements and media appearances, he has been a contributing scientist on fiction and non-fiction works for adults and children, including several movies and the Magic School Bus television show.