New endowed professorship in space policy and law to expand frontiers of global collaboration

Anna Tolette — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 19:20:45 +0000

New endowed professorship in space policy and law to expand frontiers of global collaboration Anna Tolette Tue, 06/24/2025 - 13:20

Emily Wirtz

$2.5 million investment will support teaching, research in cutting-edge field

Through a generous investment in the future of space governance, ̽��Ƶ donors Dale and Patricia Hatfield have given $2.5 million to establish the Hatfield Endowed Professorship in Space Policy & Law.

Underscoring the university’s commitment to leadership in this fast-evolving field, the professorship will drive teaching and research on space policy and law, with broad implications for national security, global communications, navigation, weather forecasting and international collaboration.

This interdisciplinary position will rotate every two years between the College of Engineering and Applied Science, the Leeds Schools of Business and Silicon Flatirons, supporting faculty whose teaching and research advance this work. Professor Marcus J. Holzinger of aerospace engineering sciences is the inaugural Hatfield Endowed Professor, bringing expertise in space policy, domain awareness, development and strategy.

“As humanity ventures beyond our planet, space law and policy have emerged as a new frontier, offering vast opportunities to shape the future of space exploration and utilization,” Dale Hatfield said. “The realm of space beckons a new generation to establish the legal and policy frame that will govern our cosmic endeavors.”

Building on strengths for greater impact

The Ann & H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences building

With this position, ̽��Ƶ will help address the legal and policy challenges of space activities — advancing critical knowledge and preparing the next generation of leaders in outer space governance.

The university already boasts strengths in aerospace engineering, public policy and international law, with powerful research and industry partnerships across these areas. The addition of a dedicated, endowed professorship — along with the new Colorado Space Policy Center — will unify and elevate these efforts, helping to attract and retain top researchers, as well as distinguish the campus as a leader in outer space governance.

As the first appointment to the Hatfield Endowed Professorship, Holzinger will use his policy research — combining astrodynamics and geopolitics — to build a future in space that’s based on democratic norms.

“The Third Space Age presents a choice: Will we build a future in space guided by proven values and foresight, or will we extend old conflicts into this new arena?” said Holzinger. “Space is already deeply integrated into our global society, but traditional approaches to preventing conflict don’t meet our emerging needs in this complex environment. My research confronts these emerging challenges directly.

“By combining the physics of space with the dynamics of international strategy, we are charting new frameworks. The objective is to craft fresh views on deterrence and cooperation, establishing norms for responsible conduct that will safeguard our expanding human enterprise, on Earth and beyond.”

In addition to direct funding for the holder of the professorship, the endowment will fund research, course development, conference attendance and related efforts that strengthen the university’s work in space policy and law.

This flexible funding model will give Holzinger and future holders the tools they need to explore big ideas and offer students valuable learning opportunities.

“The Hatfield Endowed Professorship will directly facilitate my research,” Holzinger said. “It will enable and encourage engagement in national and international policy debates and facilitate network-building with key decision-makers essential for shaping sound space strategy.”

Furthermore, the rotating structure of the position is specifically designed to encourage collaboration across engineering, law and business — mirroring the real-world intersections shaping today’s space landscape.

The power of philanthropy

Dale and Pat Hatfield

Dale Hatfield, a pioneer in telecommunications policy, is known for his leadership in both government and academia. He began his career as chief of the Office of Plans and Policy at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, D.C., before moving to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. He then founded a Boulder-based consulting firm before rejoining the FCC as chief technologist, eventually serving as chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology. He now serves as a distinguished advisor at Silicon Flatirons and an adjunct professor at ̽��Ƶ.

Dale and his wife, Patricia, have supported the university for years, including an endowed professorship and scholarship fund for the ATLAS Institute, scholarships for the Lattice Scholars program and support for Colorado Law. Their latest investment exemplifies how private philanthropy can catalyze new areas of research, teaching and discovery.

By establishing this endowed professorship, the Hatfields are making a commitment to a future defined by innovation, cooperation and responsible exploration — where a new generation of space leaders can make their mark.

Dale summed it up by saying, “As Horace Greeley once urged pioneers to ‘go West,’ today we encourage young visionaries to go into space policy and law, to explore and to find the legal and policy landscapes of our new frontier beyond Earth.”

Donate to Hatfield Endowed Professorship Fund

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