David Wiese (AeroEngr MS’07, PhD’11)
Outstanding Alumni for Excellence in Technical Achievement and LeadershipÌý
Over 40 Category
David Wiese received his MS (’07) and PhD (’11) degrees in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ. He received his BS (’05) in Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics from the University of Texas at Austin with highest honors. His graduate work at CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ focused on optimization of a dual-pair satellite constellation for monitoring temporal changes in Earth’s gravity field. The mission concept he studied during his PhD is currently in staggered phases of implementation jointly between NASA, DLR, and ESA.
After graduating from CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ, Wiese joined the Solar System Dynamics group at NASA JPL. His work at JPL has focused on improving knowledge of spatiotemporal variations of water on Earth using remote sensing observations. He has been a key contributor to the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) Science Data Systems Teams and currently holds leadership roles for the GRACE-Continuity (GRACE-C) mission slated to launch in 2028, serving as both the Deputy Project Scientist and the Science Data Systems Manager.
Wiese maintains an active research portfolio, and has been a member of several science teams, including the NASA GRACE and GRACE-FO Science Team, NASA ICESat-2 Science Team, NASA Sea Level Change Team, NASA Global Navigation Satellite System Remote Sensing Science Team, and the NASA/ESA Interagency Gravity Satellite Working Group. He is a contributing author to several authoritative community assessment reports on the mass balance of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, the global sea level budget, and the state of the terrestrial hydrosphere. His papers have been cited over 11,000 times. Wiese has been the recipient of the NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal, as well as the prestigious Lew Allen Award for Excellence at JPL for his development of the GRACE JPL Mascon Solution.Ìý
His professional work is driven by the desire to better understand the changing state of the Earth’s hydrosphere and use that knowledge to better predict future changes as our planet continues to warm. In his free time, Wiese enjoys being a husband and a dad to four girls and one chocolate lab, and passing along his love of the outdoors to them, including hiking, backpacking, skiing, and mountain biking. Ìý