Kimberly Ennico Smith
Research Astrophysicist
NASA Ames Research Center
Dr. Kimberly Ennico Smith is a research astrophysicist here at NASA’s Ames Research Center in
California’s Silicon Valley. She is multidisciplinary in her approach to space instruments,
telescopes, and mission concepts. She’s designed and built infrared airborne and space
telescope cameras and spectrometers; tested detectors in laboratories and particle
accelerators; designed low-cost suborbital instruments; built lunar payloads, and, most
recently, served as deputy Project Scientist leading the calibration of the New Horizons
Pluto fly-by mission and Project Scientist for NASA’s flying infrared observatory Stratopsheric
Observatory for Infared Astronomy (SOFIA). Asteroid 154587 Ennico is named for her.
