Dr. William Corso Appointed as the USRA Director for the Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research (GESTAR) Cooperative Agreement

COLUMBIA, Md., May 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. William (Bill) Corso as the Director for NASA's Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research (GESTAR) cooperative agreement. NASA GESTAR conducts research mainly within Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Earth Sciences Division, but also with Solar Systems Exploration Division, Office of Education, and Office of Public Affairs. 

As GESTAR Director, Dr. Corso leads USRA's and partners' (Morgan State University, I.M. Systems Group, Johns Hopkins University, Ball Aerospace & Technologies, and The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies) efforts in conceiving and developing new, space-based missions; providing mission requirements; conducting research that explains the behavior of Earth and other planetary systems; and creating engagement media that tell NASA's story of exploration and discovery on Earth and beyond.

"Dr. Corso comes to us with a range of science management and research experience," said Dr. Frederick Tarantino, President and CEO of USRA. "As we embark on this exciting transition into the GESTAR cooperative agreement, we are delighted to welcome him into the USRA family to lead us into a new generation of success."

Prior to joining USRA, Dr. Corso was at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and served in several capacities during his four-year tenure (Acting Director of the Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, National Ocean Service Technical Director, and Deputy Assistant Administrator for the National Ocean Service). Before joining NOAA, he worked in industry, academia, non-profit, and other government settings. For seven years, Dr. Corso worked at Lockheed Martin where he directed a diversified project group at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, managing their remote sensing program. He also managed geosciences-support to the USEPA's Environmental Response Team. Dr. Corso served as Director of Research and Education for the New Jersey Marine Science Consortium/New Jersey Sea grant College, a non-profit organization of 29 member colleges and universities in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. There, he was responsible for the research, education, and development activities of the Consortium and the New Jersey Sea Grant College Education Program. Dr. Corso also worked as an oceanographer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as an assistant professor at Stockton State College in New Jersey, and as Senior Scientist for the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Dr. Corso holds a Ph.D. in geophysics from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.S. in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Miami, and a B.S. in Earth sciences from Adelphi University.

About USRA
Founded in 1969, USRA is an independent research corporation with competencies that span space, Earth, and life sciences related disciplines, which are closely aligned with the nation's science and national security agencies. As a non-profit corporation with 105 major research university members, USRA's scientific and technical staff collaborate with over 300 universities annually. This depth of reach into the research community provides a unique platform for advancing science and technology.

SOURCE Universities Space Research Association