Dr. Michael Zemcov is Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he serves as Director of both the Astrophysical Sciences and Technology Program and Experimental Astrophysics Laboratory. His technical research centers on designing and deploying sub-orbital and orbital instruments for astrophysics, and he has a significant leadership history spanning a range of NASA Science Mission Directorate missions. Dr. Zemcov currently serves as Section Leadership Chair for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Council Representative for the Universities Space Research Association, and on the NASA Infrared Science Archive User Panel. He has a distinguished history helping to represent the professional astrophysical community, advocating to NASA and other organizations, and facilitating consensus-building across a broad spectrum of stakeholders.