Planetary geologist Ellen Stofan has been appointed NASA's chief scientist, the space agency announced July 29. Stofan - an expert on the terrain of Venus, Mars, Saturn's moon Titan and Earth - will assume her new post on Aug. 25. She will be NASA Administrator Charles Bolden's top adviser on all of the agency's science-related programs, planning and investments. Her appointment comes at a time when budget cuts threaten to choke the agency's funding for planetary science. "Ellen brings an extraordinary range of scientific research knowledge and planetary exploration experience to the chief scientist position," Bolden said in a statement. "Her breadth of experience and familiarity with the agency will allow her to hit the ground running. We're fortunate to have her on our team."
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