Steven W. Bidwell, Ph.D., is the lead systems engineer for the GEO Program. In this role, he is responsible for GeoXO requirements management and analyses of the spacecraft, instruments, and ground system through the full system life-cycle, from formulation, development, launch, on-orbit checkout, to operations and data production.
Steven began his NASA career in 1993 at the Robert H. Goddard Space Flight Center. Before leading GEO Program Systems Engineering, he led engineering efforts in numerous successful flight projects. His accomplishments include leading the Aerosol and Cloud, Convection and Precipitation Study (earth science decadal survey study), the Laser Communication Relay Demonstration Modem (technology demo), the LandSat-8 Operational Land Imager instrument, the Global Precipitation Measurement Microwave Imager instrument, and numerous airborne earth science research instruments employing both passive (sounding/imaging) and active (radar) microwave technologies.
Earlier in his career, Bidwell was a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Maryland’s Laboratory for Plasma Research where he conducted research in plasma physics and in the development of novel high-power microwave sources. Bidwell has authored 15 peer reviewed publications and 60 conference publications.
Bidwell is a recipient of the Robert H. Goddard (RHG) Civil Servant Excellence Award and three-time recipient of the RHG Exceptional Achievement Award for Engineering. He holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.