Alphonso V. Diaz is a notable figure in the history of NASA, having served in various leadership roles throughout his career. Diaz first joined NASA as a cooperative education student at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. He chose to join NASA to help finance his education at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Diaz's career at NASA was marked by significant contributions and leadership roles. He was part of a team that conducted an assessment of the NASA Agency-wide Applicability of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report in 2004. This report was a response to the criticism of NASA's culture following the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia accident. Diaz believed that the process of creating the report was beneficial for the agency, even though it may have been perceived as overly critical. Towards the end of his career at NASA, Diaz was involved in a reorganization process where he was offered a new role. However, he decided to leave the agency instead. Despite the challenges he faced during this period, Diaz found his time at NASA rewarding, particularly his tenure as the Director of the Goddard Space Flight Center. After leaving NASA, Diaz transitioned to academia, a decision influenced by his interactions with university presidents. Despite his departure, Diaz remained concerned about the future of NASA and its relevance to the nation. He expressed his gratitude for his time at NASA, stating that he always felt good about working at the agency and cherished every minute of it. Diaz's leadership extended beyond his role at NASA Headquarters. He also spent a significant amount of time at Goddard, demonstrating his commitment to field experience. His career at NASA was marked by his dedication to the agency and his significant contributions to its mission.

Scope and Content Note
April 12, 2017: This interview with Alphonso V. Diaz provides a comprehensive overview of his career trajectory and experiences at the space agency. Diaz began his career as a co-op student at the Langley Research Center, where he worked on the Viking project, specifically on the development of the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer instrument. He shares his experiences and challenges during the project, including testing the instrument in simulated Martian environments and the successful landing on Mars. Diaz also discusses the lack of immediate follow-up projects after Viking and his role in expanding the Flight Projects Directorate at Langley. Diaz also reflects on his time at NASA Headquarters, where he worked on the International Solar Polar Mission and the Galileo mission. He was also involved in the Space Station program. He briefly mentions his time working at General Electric before returning to NASA, particularly after the Challenger accident. The interview also covers Diaz's experience working with astronauts during the redesign of missions previously intended for the Space Shuttle. He talks about his role in managing the space science flight program policy and leading a committee to study proposals related to science institutes. He emphasizes the importance of the Science Mission Directorate in organizing and prioritizing space science missions. Diaz also discusses the challenges and successes of the Hubble Space Telescope, including the discovery of problems and the subsequent repair. As the former Director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Diaz reflects on the transition from being the beneficiaries of technology to being the victims of it, as other forms of technology became more popular. He talks about the challenges of working with scientists and the impressive spaceflights and experiments conducted during his time at Goddard. He mentions the successful servicing missions for the Hubble Space Telescope and the pushback they faced when proposing a robotic mission. Diaz expresses disappointment in losing the energy and enthusiasm that came with those missions. 

June 6, 2012:  In this interview, Diaz shares his experiences and insights on a range of topics, including his involvement in a report on NASA's culture following the Columbia Space Shuttle accident. He discusses the formation of the team for the report and its reception across different NASA centers. Diaz also talks about his transition to NASA Headquarters and his role swap with Edward J. Weiler. He provides insights into the challenges and changes that occurred during the consolidation of the Enterprise System into the Mission Directorates. As a non-scientist in a scientific position, Diaz shares the skepticism he faced from the science community and the challenges he encountered in managing budgets and securing funding for science missions. He emphasizes the importance of international partnerships in NASA's scientific work. Diaz highlights the significance of international collaboration in Earth science missions. He provides an overview of NASA's relationships with other agencies such as NOAA, DoD, Department of Energy, and OMB. Diaz reflects on his experiences working with different NASA Administrators, discussing their management styles. He also mentions some mentors he had throughout his career and the challenges he faced before retiring. The interviewee also shares his experiences from a previous job where there was no compensation and a lot of turmoil and anxiety. His most rewarding experience, he says, was being involved in the Hubble Space Telescope project. Diaz expresses concerns about the direction of NASA's science and questions whether the agency is still fulfilling a necessary role. The interview concludes with Diaz reflecting on his time at NASA and expressing gratitude for the experience.