Division Chief (Acting) of Intelligent Systems
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Title: Division Chief (Acting) of Intelligent Systems
Organization: Intelligent Systems Division at the NASA Ames Research Center
Richard Papasin serves as Acting Chief of the Intelligent Systems Division, where he helps guide research in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, robotics, decision support software, and data mining by conducting mission-driven, user-centric development in computational sciences for NASA applications.
Based at Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, the Intelligent Systems Division develops computing technologies for some of NASA’s most complex scientific, aeronautical, and space-exploration challenges. Its work is organized around four technical areas: Autonomous Systems and Robotics, Collaborative and Assistant Systems, Discovery and Systems Health, and Robust Software Engineering. In leading the division, Papasin oversees a multidisciplinary research environment focused on creating intelligent, dependable, and human-centered technologies capable of supporting NASA missions in increasingly complex and autonomous operating environments.
Papasin’s appointment as Acting Division Chief represents the culmination of a NASA career that began in 1992, when he joined Ames as a software engineering intern. Over the following decades, he advanced through a succession of increasingly responsible technical and leadership positions, serving as a computer engineer, senior computer scientist, group lead, deputy technical-area lead, and branch chief. Before moving into division leadership, he spent more than thirteen years leading the Collaborative and Assistant Systems technical area within the Intelligent Systems Division. He also served as Acting Technical Area Supervisor for Autonomous Systems and Robotics from 2021 to 2022. This progression has given Papasin an unusually broad perspective on NASA technology development. His experience spans hands-on software engineering, applied research, systems integration, mission operations, organizational management, and strategic technical leadership. Rather than working solely within one narrow specialty, he has built a career at the intersection of computer science, engineering, information management, and human operations—areas that are increasingly central to NASA’s future missions.
Papasin earned both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. While pursuing his graduate education, he also served as a teaching assistant at UCLA. His education provided a foundation in electrical and computer engineering, while his NASA career expanded into software development, computer science, data systems, human-computer collaboration, and research management. His professional journey is particularly notable for its continuity. Having begun at NASA Ames as a student intern, Papasin developed his career within the organization over more than thirty years. That path has allowed him to acquire deep institutional knowledge while participating in several generations of technological change—from early networked engineering and web applications to today’s emphasis on artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics, and large-scale data systems.
As Acting Division Chief, Papasin now brings that combination of technical depth, operational experience, and institutional perspective to the leadership of the Intelligent Systems Division. His responsibilities encompass not only the advancement of individual technologies, but also the development of research strategy, collaboration among technical organizations and external partners, support for NASA programs, and the cultivation of the scientists, engineers, software developers, and future leaders who carry out the division’s work. He reflects the evolution of intelligent systems at NASA—from specialized software and information-management projects to an integrated research discipline encompassing artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomy, data science, and reliable software. His advancement from software engineering intern to Acting Division Chief is a testament to his technical expertise, leadership, adaptability, and long-term dedication to NASA’s mission of exploration, discovery, and innovation.
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