JOHN’S BIOGRAPHY

Mr. John Kiriazes serves as a Senior Research Engineer in the Florida Space Institute (FSI) at the University of Central Florida.  FSI is located in the Partnership 1 building on the Navy Support Activity Orlando property in the Central Florida Research Park

Prior to starting with FSI, John spent 38 years of service with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at the Kennedy Space Center. During the first 20 years of his NASA career, John worked under the Space Shuttle Program as a telecommunication and instrumentation systems engineer responsible for the Space Shuttle navigation and landing systems. John supported operation, and maintenance of Space Shuttle microwave landing systems, Tactical Air Navigation systems, and GPS ground stations. John also operated weather instrumentation systems including lightning mapping and radar wind profilers.  John led the design and operation of flight test instrumentation used on-board aircraft to certify the operation of the Shuttle landing systems at airfields worldwide. The next 15 years of his career, John served as a GS-15 technical manager providing leadership and direction serving several NASA programs including the International Space Station Program, the Launch Services Program, and the Ground Systems and Development and Operations Program. John finished his career as Division management with the Science and Technology Projects Division where he led NASA science, research, and technology development. John directed engineers and PhD scientists in research activities supporting NASA Agency Mission Directorates and commercial space flight efforts. The division includes SwampWorks laboratory which utilizes lean development concepts for architecture studies and trades, designs, data, and technology development for government and commercial customers.

Now with FSI, Mr. Kiriazes supports a portfolio of scientific research, technology development, and system demonstration projects while building collaborations across the state and nation. 

John developed his passion for engineering while growing up in the Chicagoland area. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois with his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. John continued his education, earning a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the University of Central Florida. John also completed significant coursework as he pursued an advanced degree in optical engineering.

During his time with NASA, John received numerous awards including a Silver Snoopy, an Outstanding Leadership Medal, a Space Flight Awareness Management award, and seven Group Achievement Awards.

JOHN’S RESEACH