Hastings is New Head of ESD

By Lois Slavin, ESD Communications Director – July 7, 2004

Professor Daniel Hastings, who served as chief scientist to the U.S. Air Force from 1997 to 1999, has been named director of the Engineering Systems Division as of July 1.

In appointing Professor Hastings to this position, Dean of Engineering Thomas Magnanti stated, "I am delighted that Dan Hastings has agreed to serve as Head of our Engineering Systems Division. Dan brings enormous expertise in both engineering science and engineering systems to this position, including extensive leadership experience in the Air Force. He has done a marvelous job in several administrative capacities at MIT over the years, especially as ESD co-director, and I can't imagine a better successor to ESD's founding Director, Professor Daniel Roos."

Hastings commented, “Everyone in the ESD Community – faculty, students, alums, partner companies, and staff – has an opportunity to help define and evolve the important field of Engineering Systems and we need everyone’s contributions. We also look forward to continuing to partner with our colleagues throughout MIT, as well as at other academic institutions and professional organizations.”

As Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems, Hastings has taught courses and seminars in plasma physics, rocket propulsion, advanced space power and propulsion systems, aerospace policy, technology and policy, and space systems engineering.

Hastings, who earned a Ph.D. and an S.M, from MIT in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1980 and 1978 respectively, received a B.A. in Mathematics from Oxford University in England in 1967. He joined the MIT faculty as an assistant professor in 1985, advancing to associate professor in 1988 and full professor in 1993.

Hastings served as director of MIT’s Space Grant Program from 1990 to 1993, associate department head in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics from 1993 to1996, director of the ESD Technology and Policy Program from 2000 to 2003, and associate director of ESD from 2001 to 2003. From 2003 to the present, he was co-director of ESD, with Professor Daniel Roos.

Hastings is a Fellow of the AIAA and a member of the International Academy of Astronautics. He is serving as a member of the National Science Board, the Applied Physics Lab Science and Technology Advisory Panel, as well as the chair of Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. He is a member of the MIT Lincoln Laboratory Advisory Committee and is on the Board of Trustees of the Aerospace Corporation. He has served on several national committees on issues in National Security Space.