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Planetary Science and Astrophysics

Christina Richey

Director of Partnerships and Business Development

Disciplines: Planetary Science, Astrophysics

Degree/Major: PhD, Physics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Role: Scientist, Leadership

Biography

Dr. Christina Richey is the Director for Partnerships and Business Development. Chrissy focuses on partnerships and large-scale funding initiatives by cultivating relationships with government agencies, private industry, and private foundations to diversify and grow institutional revenue streams. In addition to partnership development, Chrissy serves as the strategic lead for SSAIL, helping expand the program’s reach, visibility, and long-term sustainability. As PI of a NASA SMD award, Dr. Richey also provides guidance on the proposal process, and trains researchers within the community on best practices for proposal submission and review. Prior to SETI, Dr. Richey was the Program Manager for Research and Technology Development in the Office of Research & Development (ORD) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 

In addition to their scientific management activities, Dr. Richey is an award-winning advocate for inclusivity in the workplace. Dr. Richey was honored with the AAS DPS Meritorious Career Service Award, the Harold Masursky Award, as well as a NASA Special Service Award and several NASA Group Achievement Awards. Dr. Richey was designated a Legacy Fellow by the American Astronomical Society (AAS).

Major Awards

  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory Voyager Awards (2019, 2023, 2025)
  • NASA Excellence in Collaboration Award (2025)
  • NASA JPL Team Award (2021)
  • NASA Goddard Special Act Team Award (2021)
  • NASA Group Achievement Awards (2017, 2018, 2020)
  • American Astronomical Society Legacy Fellow (2019)
  • UAB Rising Star Alumni Award (2017)
  • UAB College of Arts & Sciences Trailblazing Alumni of the Year Award (2016)
  • Asteroid (151835) Christinarichey (2016)
  • Youngest ever recipient of the Harold Masursky Award for Career Meritorious Service in Planetary Sciences (2015)
  • Wheeling Jesuit University James O’Brien Alumni Award & Distinguished Alumni Scholar in Residence (2015)
  • NASA Headquarters Special Service Award (2014)

Publications

Trang, D. Swafford, C.E., Kreps, T.A., Vance, S.D., Davidson, J., Filiberto, J., Ostrach, L.R., & Richey, C.R., A Survey of the Severity of Mental Health Symptoms in the Planetary Science Community, Nature Astronomy,8, 691-696, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02293-w, (2024).

Richey, C.R., Lee, K.M.N., Rodgers, E.M., & Clancy, K.B.H., Sexual and gender minorities in astronomy and planetary science face increased risks of harassment and assault, Bulletin of Am. Astronomical Society, https://113qx216in8z1kdeyi404hgf-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Richey-et-al-LGBTQPAN.pdf, (2019).

Clancy, K.B.H., Lee, K.M.N., Rodgers, E.M., & Richey, C.R., Double jeopardy in astronomy & planetary science: Women of color face greater risks of gendered & racial harassment, J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 112, doi:10.1002/2017/JE005256 (2017).

Burleigh, M.R., Richey, C.R., Rinehart, S.A., Quijada, M.A., & Wollack, E.J., Spectrometer baseline control via spatial filtering, Applied Optics 55, 29, 8201-8206 (2016).

Richey, C.R., Rinehart, S.A., Kinzer, R.E., Cataldo, G., Wollack, E., Nuth, J., Benford, D., Silverberg, R., Optical Properties of Iron Silicates in the Infrared to Millimeter as a Function of Wavelength & Temperature, Astrophysical Journal 770, 46 (2013).

Richey, C.R., Gerakines, P.A., Near-Infrared Band Strengths of Molecules Diluted in N2 & H2O Ice Mixtures Relevant to Interstellar & Planetary Ices, Astrophysical Journal, 759, 74 (2012).

Gerakines, P.A., Bray, J.J., Davis, A., Richey, C.R., The Strengths of Near- Infrared Absorption Features Relevant to Interstellar & Planetary Ices, Astrophysical Journal 620, 1140 (2005).

Selected Community Papers

Mandt, K. E., Rymer, A., Kalirai, J., Allen, R., Cocoros, A., Stevenson, K., Richey, C., … Chen, T. (2023). Advancing Space Science Requires NASA Support for Coordination Between the Science Mission Directorate Communities. Bulletin of the AAS, 55(3). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.e033d3ce

Richey, C., Tiscareno, M. S., Prem, P., Venkatesan, A., Rathbun, J., & McAdam, M. (2021). Lessons Learned on IDEA from the Astro2020 Decadal Survey. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.29038986

Richey, C., Venkatesan, A., Grier, J. A., Sheth, K., McAdam, M., Wilhelm, M. B., … Prem, P. (2021). A Call to Planetary2023 Panels to Implement Actionable Recommendations from Recent National IDEA Studies. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.cf08661f

Richey, C., Clancy, K. B. H., Lee, K. M. N., & Rodgers, E. M. (2021). Recommendations from the CSWA Survey on Workplace Climate. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.fc872f69

Richey, C., Tiscareno, M. S., Prem, P., Venkatesan, A., Rathbun, J., & McAdam, M. (2021). Lessons Learned on IDEA from the Astro2020 Decadal Survey. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.29038986

Milazzo, M., Richey, C., Piatek, J., Vaughan, A., & Venkatesan, A. (2021). The Growing Digital pide and its Negative Impacts on NASA’s Future Workforce. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.20f73bfd

Rathbun, J., Richey, C. R., Rivera-Valentín, E. G., Roberts, J. H., Watkins, R. N., Zellner, N., & Kirven, M. (2021). Enabling the Planetary Workforce to do the best science by funding work that is a service to the Profession. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.5bb38e23

Rathbun, J., Richey, C., Cohen, B. A., Piatek, J. L., Roberts, J. H., Daubar, I. J., … Venkatesan, A. (2021). Ensuring Inclusivity in the 2023 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.07d5698a

Milazzo, M., Richey, C., Rathbun, J., Rivera-Valentin, E., Diniega, S., Piatek, J., … Grace, A. (2021). DEIA White Papers for Planetary 2023 supported by the Cross-AG EDI Working Group. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.9fb8d6dc

Radebaugh, J., Richey, C., Neveu, M., Cohen, B., Rivera-Valentin, E., Vertesi, J., … Mandt, K. (2021). The Value of a Dual Anonymous System for Reducing Bias in Reviews of Planetary Research and Analysis Proposals and Scientific Papers. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.450d4855

Castillo-Rogez, J., Richey, C., Pappalardo, R., Brooks, S., Daubar, I. J., Turtle, E., … Rathbun, J. (2021). Mission Roles: Status, Issues, and Recommendations for the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Committee Consideration. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.8e960f6c

Byrne, P., Richey, C. R., Castillo-Rogez, J. C., & Sykes, M. V. (2021). Improvements to the NASA Research and Analysis Proposal and Review System. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.f68b59e8

Izenberg, N., Daly, R. T., Mandt, K. E., Richey, C. R., Ostrach, L. R., Keane, J. T., … Hartnett, H. (2021). Planetary and Astrobiology Blank Papers: Science White Papers Cancelled or Downscaled Due to Direct Impact of COVID-19 and National-scale Civil Action. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.d2881794

Sykes, M., Castillo-Rogez, J., Richey, C., & Byrne, P. K. (2021). NASA Planetary Research and Analysis: What is R&A? Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.81d9c7d7

Freeman, A., Mischna, M., Richey, C. R., Lazio, J., Raymond, C., & Cable, M. (2021). Re-Imagining NASA Planetary Mission Science Opportunities for the next two decades. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.088bac51

Rathbun, J., Rivera-Valentín, E. G., Keane, J. T., Lynch, K., Diniega, S., Quick, L. C., Richey, C., … Brooks, S. M. (2021). Who is Missing in Planetary Science?: Strategic Recommendations to Improve the persity of the Field. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.da96f3af

Rivera-Valentín, E., Rathbun, J., Keane, J. T., Lynch, K., Richey, C., Diniega, S., & Vertesi, J. (2021). Who is missing in planetary Science?: A demographic study of the planetary science workforce. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.968ed505

Diniega, S., Castillo-Rogez, J., Daubar, I., Filiberto, J., Goudge, T., Lynch, K., Richey, C., … Villarreal, M. (2021). Ensuring a safe and equitable workspace: The importance and feasibility of a Code of Conduct, along with clear policies regarding authorship and team membership. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.414c64ae

Bennett, K., McAdam, M., Milazzo, M., Garcia, P., Shelton, J., Gardiner, P., … Richey, C. (2021). The Preventing Harassment in Science Workshop: Summary and Best Practices for Planetary Science and Astrobiology. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.2b4fd379

Castillo-Rogez, J., Sykes, M., Hendrix, A., Rathbun, J., Richey, C., & Byrne, P. K. (2021). NASA Research and Analysis: Status, Issues, and Recommendations for the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey Committee. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.b3b5783a

Zellner, N., McBride, J., Morrison, N., Olmstead, A., Patterson, M., Rudnick, G., Richey, C., … Tuttle, S. E. (2019). Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy: Advancing the Career Development of Women in Astronomy. Bulletin of the AAS, 51(7). Retrieved from https://baas.aas.org/pub/2020n7i170

Zellner, N., McBride, J., Morrison, N., Olmstead, A., Patterson, M., Rudnick, G., Richey, C., … Tuttle, S. E. (2019). Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy: Towards Eliminating Harassment in Astronomy. Bulletin of the AAS, 51(7). Retrieved from https://baas.aas.org/pub/2020n7i169

Mandt, K. E., Rymer, A., Kalirai, J., Allen, R., Cocoros, A., Stevenson, K., Richey, C., … Hasegawa, Y. (2019). Advancing Space Science Requires NASA Support for Coordination Between the Science Mission Directorate Communities. Bulletin of the AAS, 51(7). Retrieved from https://baas.aas.org/pub/2020n7i158