
Thomas González Roberts
Thomas González Roberts is an Assistant Professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Using tools from observational astronomy and computational astrodynamics, Dr. Roberts studies the behavior of Earth-orbiting satellites to understand how space actors—from superpowers to start-ups—engage with outer space governance. His research interests include international coordination, sustainability, and security in space. Dr. Roberts’ work has been supported by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation, and earned recognition with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Prize for Open Data, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy’s Prize for Innovation in Global Security, and a placement on Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 in Science list. He holds a PhD and SM in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT, an SM in technology and policy from MIT, and a BA in astrophysical sciences from Princeton University.
- Flight Mechanics & Controls
- Systems Design & Optimization
PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Aeronautics and Astronautics SM, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Aeronautics and Astronautics SM, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Technology and Policy AB, Princeton University, Astrophysical Sciences
Steven A. Denning Seed Fund Award for Global Engagement, Georgia Tech, 2025 Center for Space Technology and Research Co-location Fellowship, Georgia Tech, 2025 Fellowship, International Strategy Forum, 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science, Forbes Magazine, 2024 Atlanta Global Studies Center Travel Grant, Georgia Tech, 2024 Travel Grant, Embassy of Switzerland in the United States, 2024 Prize for Innovation in Global Security, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, 2023 Prize for Open Data, MIT School of Science and MIT Libraries, 2023 PhD Research Fellowship, International Strategy Forum, Schmidt Futures, 2023 ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship, Switzerland State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, 2023 Travel Grant, MIT Switzerland (MISTI), 2023 Excellent Reviewer Award, AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 2022 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation, 2021 Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship, 2021 Baumgartner Employee Achievement Award, Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2019 Harry S. Truman Scholarship, Harry S. Truman Foundation, 2015.