Dr. John A. Cavolowsky

Director, Innovation Program Office 

Advanced Research and Technology Division 

Research and Technology Mission Directorate  

NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.  

John Cavolowsky leads the Innovation Program Office within the Advanced Research and Technology Division at NASA Headquarters and oversees its efforts to advance breakthrough technologies, build strategic partnerships, and accelerate innovation to transform future missions. The program encourages and funds early-stage ideas, enables experimentation, pursues critical technologies, and matures first-of-a-kind capabilities. 

Previously, as director of the Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program in the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Cavolowsky was responsible for the development of NASA Aeronautics efforts to cultivate revolutionary concepts, tools, and technologies that enable aviation transformation. Prior to that, he was director of the Airspace Operations and Safety Program, where he led NASA’s efforts in foundational air traffic management and operational safety research that enables development of revolutionary improvements to, and modernization of, the National Airspace System. 

Prior positions include director of the Aviation Systems Program, deputy program director and associate program manager for the Airspace Systems Program, and project manager for the Human Measures and Performance Project. 

Cavolowsky began his NASA career in 1989 at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California as a technical lead and research manager for aerothermodynamics, addressing research and development challenges in hypersonic propulsion and thermal protection systems. He also served as a technical manager for aerospace programs in the Office of the Center Director at NASA Ames and has published more than 25 technical papers. 

Cavolowsky has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.