Simonetta Di Pippo

Simonetta Di Pippo (Rome, born in 1959) is an Italian astrophysicist and the current Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). Ms. Di Pippo has a long and successful career dealing in aerospace affairs for more than 30 years. For her work, she has been knighted by the President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, in 2006. In addition, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named asteroid 21887 "dipippo" as a recognition of her contribution to space exploration.

After having graduated with a Master’s degree in Astrophysics and Space Physics from the University "La Sapienza" in Rome, Italy in 1984, Ms. Di Pippo joined the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in 1986. Her responsibilities ranged from earth observation to automation & robotics, science and human spaceflight and in 2002 she took up duty as Director of the ASI's Observation of the Universe. From 2008 to 2011, Ms. Di Pippo served as Director of Human Spaceflight at the European Space Agency (ESA), before returning to ASI to lead the European Space Policy Observatory at ASI-Brussels until March 2014.

Ms. Di Pippo co-founded, in June 2009, Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-E) and has acted as President since then. The association aims to expand the representation and leadership of women in the aerospace sector. In 2013 she received an Honoris Causa Degree in Environmental Studies from the St. John University in Vinovo (TO). Still in 2013, she was appointed Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). Author of 1 book and co-author of three books, of more than 60 publications, more than 700 articles and interviews on magazines and newspapers, members and President of scientific committees of international congresses, member and President of scientific awards’ jury, she has invited to teach at various Universities, including the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and the LUISS-Business School in Rome. Ms. Di Pippo was knighted by the President of the Italian Republic in 2006 and, in 2008, the International Astronomical Union assigned the name "dipippo" to asteroid 21887, in recognition of her effort in space exploration.

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