Former NASA astronaut John “Danny” Olivas, Ph.D., has landed at The University of Texas at El Paso as director of space initiatives. He will also lead the newly established Center for the Advancement of Space Safety and Mission Assurance Research (CASSMAR).

“The U.S. is at the dawn of a new era of space exploration, so I am thrilled about this development,” said Olivas, who earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UTEP in 1989. “[The University] has the right people, and the right facilities and capabilities to do this work. Plus, it sits in close proximity to nearby spaceports. It just makes sense to have CASSMAR here.”