Dr. Molly Macauley

Molly Kenna Macauley is a Senior Fellow with Resources for the Future (RFF), Washington DC. RFF was established at the request of President Truman, acting upon a recommendation of the William Paley Commission, as a “think tank” focusing on the economics of natural resources. At RFF, Dr. Macauley’s space research includes the valuation of non-priced space resources, the design of incentive arrangements to improve space resource use, and the appropriate relationship between public and private endeavors in space research, development, and commercial enterprise. Molly has testified before Congress on the Commercial Space Act of 1997, the Omnibus Space Commercialization Act of 1996, the Space Business Incentives Act of 1996, space commercialization, and the role of prizes in encouraging innovation. She also has served on many national level committees and panels including the congressionally mandated Economic Study of Space Solar Power (chair), the National Research Council’s (NRC) Space Studies Board Steering Group on Space Applications and Commercialization, and the NRC Space Studies Board Task Force on Priorities in Space Research. She also serves on the NRC’s Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board. In 1994, she was selected as one of the National Space Society’s “Rising Stars,” and in 2001 she was voted into the International Academy of Astronautics. Molly has published extensively with more than 70 journal articles, books, and chapters of books. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Women in Aerospace and on the Board of Advisors of the Thomas Jefferson Public Policy Program, College of William and Mary. Her PhD and MA degrees in economics are from Johns Hopkins University and her undergraduate degree in economics is from The College of William and Mary.