Keith Cowing

Keith Cowing is trained as a biologist (M.A. and B.A. degrees) and has a multidisciplinary background with experience and expertise that ranges from spacecraft payload integration and biomedical peer review to freelance writing and web site authoring.

Between 1990 and 1993, Keith was a NASA civil servant and served as Manager of Pressurized Payload Accommodations at the Space Station Freedom Program Office (SSFPO). As part of his prime responsibilities, Keith served as the Payload Accommodations Manager for the 2.5 Meter Centrifuge Facility, the Gas-Grain Simulation Facility, the Gravitational Biology Facility, and the CELSS Test Facility. Keith also participated in all SSF design reviews held during 1990-93, representing the interests of the scientific payload community. Keith was also the SSFPO lead on biospecimen containment and was a NASA representative to the NRC Committee on Toxicology’s subcommittee on Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations.

Prior to his work at NASA, Keith worked for the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) on NASA Life Sciences Division Peer review and for the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) where he managed a subcontract in support of the NASA Life Sciences Strategic Planning Study Committee (a.k.a. the Robbins Committee). Keith is also a former member of the governing board of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology (ASGSB).