In this newly created role, Ali will help drive development and implementation of a strategic roadmap aimed at strengthening Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s role in space commercialization.   This includes expanding Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s network of industry partnerships and collaborating with state leaders and the State University System to develop the talent needed to sustain and advance Florida’s leadership in the space sector.

“Professor Ali is a pioneer in space leadership education,” says Greg Autry, associate provost of space commercialization and strategy at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝. “He goes above and beyond as an educator working hard to help his students network and build successful careers in the space industry.”

Ali will work closely with Autry and continue his work should Autry be confirmed as chief financial officer at NASA.

Ali also will contribute to the ongoing development of educational programming that aligns the college’s mission to prepare the next generation of space-focused business leaders with industry needs. Last week Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ launched the online space MBA as a premier program for professionals looking to advance their careers in the rapidly growing space economy.

“It is an honor to join the team at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ to help launch the first true space MBA,” Ali says. “Given Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s origins as a workforce development partner for NASA, its history as premier research and applied technology institution, and its location near the Space Coast, we are perfectly positioned to become the world leader in education for space and create the leaders who will take humanity into a new age of exploration and opportunity. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the College of Business and Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ community as we truly become Space U.”

Ali has held executive roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, where he led global strategy for high performance computing and advised numerous space startups, including Pulsar Space, Magdrive, Parsimoni, ThinkOrbital, Paterson Aerospace and Space Railway. He is a frequent speaker on topics such as space innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, the future of work and enterprise agility.

Earlier in his career, Ali served as senior manager at the Universities Space Research Association, leading efforts in aviation data science, AI, quantum science and nanotechnology for NASA Ames. He was a senior member of the project management office for NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, overseeing software development, safety and quality, laboratory buildouts and international science ground operations.

He has a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of California Berkely and an executive master of global management from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

The Online Space MBA starts Spring 2026 with a Dec. 1 application deadline. For more information about the program, visit .

A national leader in online education and the top supplier of talent to the nation’s aerospace and defense industries, the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ established the new MBA program to support the space commercialization industry and a global space economy that is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.

“We have world-class researchers, direct connections to the space industry and the very best location,” says Greg Autry, associate provost for space commercialization and strategy at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ and President Trump’s nominee to become NASA’s chief financial officer. “I want students to come to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ knowing they can participate in an industry that’s about to take off, no matter what field they’re interested in. This is the place to launch the next stage of your career.”

The Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ space MBA brings together Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s excellence in space and online education and is designed to develop forward-thinking leaders who will shape the future of the commercial space sector. With a curriculum focused on space commercialization, business strategy and innovation, graduates will be ready to lead in fast-growing and high-impact roles across the commercial space, aerospace, government, startups and emerging tech industries.

The MBA will be a fully online, part-time graduate business program spanning 24 months in which students will take a set of core MBA courses plus four electives focused on space entrepreneurship, governmental and commercial space finance, space leadership and the global space domain. With a flexible, asynchronous format, this program allows students to learn from anywhere on Earth — or even in orbit.

With more than 25 years of experience providing top online degrees, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ is a trusted source for innovative education technology and is recognized among the nation’s leaders in online education. Classes in more than 130 fully online degree programs are led by world-class faculty with extensive industry and academic experience who prepare students well to thrive and advance in their careers.

“The space industry isn’t the future. It’s happening now. Our new space MBA will put talent at the center of that movement,” says Paul Jarley, dean of the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ College of Business, which will be offering the new program. “Under Dr. Autry’s leadership, the space MBA will develop business pioneers ready to drive innovation in space commercialization. This is an important step in the business school becoming a key asset in supporting Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝’s mission to be Florida’s Premier Engineering and Technology University.”

Autry leads the college’s efforts to deliver executive and MBA programs in space commercialization while helping America’s Space University craft and implement a roadmap for its space efforts. Before joining Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ in 2024, he was the director and clinical professor of space leadership, policy and business at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. He serves as the vice president for space development at the National Space Society and chairs the Business Case sub-committee for NASA’s In Space Production Applications program, which sends manufacturing experiments to the International Space Station.

Applications are open now until Dec. 1, with classes beginning in Spring 2026. Visit to learn more and apply.