Bhavya Lal most recently served as the NASA Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, advising the NASA Administrator on a range of domestic and international policy issues, strategic planning, and technology investments. During her tenure at NASA, she made history as the first woman to serve as the acting Chief Technologist of the Agency. She also held the role of acting Chief of Staff in the first 100 days of the Biden Administration, playing an instrumental role in advancing the Moon-to-Mars Artemis program, leading national initiatives in space sustainability and space nuclear power, and shaping critical policies on international competition and commercial space ventures. Prior to her engagement at NASA, Dr. Lal conducted significant space studies as a senior researcher at the Institute for Defense Analyses' Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI).

Dr. Lal’s academic credentials include bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a second master’s from MIT’s Technology and Policy Program, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Public Administration from George Washington University. She is a member of the honor societies for both nuclear engineering and public policy and public administration. Her substantial research and leadership have garnered prestigious recognitions, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and induction into the International Academy of Astronautics and the YWCA’s Academy of Women Achievers, affirming her status as a leader in space policy.