RIT alumnus and NASA associate administrator for space technology visits Rochester Prep High School

Students in an AP calculus class at Rochester Prep High School took a break from mathematical concepts to absorb a life lesson from a visiting NASA engineer and an RIT alumnus.

Clayton Turner talked with the students on Oct. 16 about his career at NASA and the value of finding passion in something that can improve people’s lives.

“It’s not about widgets and gadgets,” Turner said. “It’s about how we can benefit humankind.”

This can be through space technologies that have applications on Earth and sharing data. For instance, scientists are studying the physical changes that astronauts experience in space to better understand medical conditions and the aging process.

Turner has worked at NASA for more than 30 years. He is the acting associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, one of the agency’s five directorates.

He shared how his career at NASA unfolded after he graduated from RIT in 1990 with a degree in electrical engineering. Turner told the students about his winding route to NASA and his five prior careers, including military service.  

When Turner decided to return to school for technician training, a professor at Monroe Community College suggested he continue his engineering education at RIT. That advice changed Turner’s future.

“When you connect your path with your passion, surround yourself with peers and colleagues who care enough about you to tell you the truth because it matters,” he said.

Turner is a strong advocate for STEM education and careers. He dedicates time to speak to students of all ages, visiting them in their classrooms and sharing his experiences. He emphasizes “the importance of putting in the work” to create opportunities and choices.

Turner has worked on many space technology projects at NASA, including the Earth Science Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation project, the Space Shuttle Program Return-to-Flight project, and the Mars Science Laboratory mission.

In his role for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, he oversees executive leadership, strategic planning, and overall management of all technology maturation and demonstration programs for critical space-focused technologies.

Turner had served as the director of NASA’s Langley Research Center from 2019 to 2024. He led a diverse team of more than 3,400 scientists, researchers, engineers, and support staff working to develop next-generation aviation and space exploration technology.

Among his many awards are the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive, the Black Engineer of the Year STEM Award, and the NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal.

Turner is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is also an RIT distinguished alumnus and an RIT Board of Trustee member.