Naoko Sugita

Dr. Sugita has more than 20 years of experience in the space sector. She has held numerous roles and led several projects in fostering innovation with the private sector, international cooperation and strategic research for the executives. Among the projects initiated includes collaboration with a startup and local government, which later won the Prime Minister’s award of the Japan Open Innovation Prize.
Currently, at JAXA, she is serving as the Japan lead for Earth Observing Dashboard in cooperation with NASA and ESA, to make information from satellites available to decision-makers and the general public. She is also promoting public-private-academia partnerships through the Consortium for Satellite Earth Observation (CONSEO).
Having served as the Director of Gender Equality Office of JAXA, she continues to support the succeeding Work-Life Support and Diversity Office. In 2022 and 2033, she was selected to participate in the UN Space4Women Expert Meeting. She also held related events at the Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum.
Dr. Sugita earned a Master in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School, and received a doctorate from the National Graduate Institute of Policy Studies.