Editing Jet Propulsion Laboratory (section)

==List of directors==
All of the lab directors hold doctorates in engineering, physics, geology, geochemistry or planetary science. Acting/interim directors tend to be retired military officers with a strong science and organizational background.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/ |title=Faces of Leadership: The Directors of JPL |publisher=JPL}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/history/historic-personnel/#centers |title=Personnel |publisher=NASA}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Image
!Director
!Term start
!Term end
!Notes
|-
|1
|[[File:Dr. von Kármán, posed in his office chair (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|[[Theodore von Kármán]]
|1938
|1944
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-theodore-von-karman-1881-1963/ |title=Dr. Theodore von Kármán (1881-1963) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|-
|2
|[[File:Frank Malina.jpg|70px]]
|[[Frank Malina]]
|1944
|1946
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-frank-j-malina-1912-1981/ |title=Dr. Frank J. Malina (1912-1981) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|acting
|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"| 
|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|[[Louis Dunn]]
|1946
|1947
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.galcit.caltech.edu/about/history |title=GALCIT History |publisher=Caltech}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-louis-g-dunn-1908-1979/ |title=Dr. Louis G. Dunn (1908-1979) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|-
|3
|1947
|August 31, 1954
|
|-
|4
|[[File:Pickering, Dr William H - 5021504112.jpg|70px]]
|[[William Hayward Pickering]]
|September 1, 1954
|March 31, 1976
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/slice-of-history-dr-pickering-becomes-lab-director/ |title=Slice of History - Dr. Pickering becomes Lab Director |date=September 1, 2022 |publisher=JPL}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/newspage/385569706/ |title=Jet Propulsion Chief Named |date=September 2, 1954 |page=36 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-william-h-pickering-1910-2004/ |title=Dr. William H. Pickering (1910-2004) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|-
|5
|[[File:Bruce Murray.jpg|70px]]
|[[Bruce C. Murray]]
|April 1, 1976
|June 30, 1982
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gps.caltech.edu/people/bruce-murray |title=Bruce Murray |publisher=Caltech Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-bruce-c-murray-1931-2013/ |title=Dr. Bruce C. Murray (1931-2013) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|Acting
|[[File:Charles H. Terhune.jpg|70px]]
|[[Charles Terhune Jr.]]
|July 1, 1982
|October 1982
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/gen-charles-h-terhune-1916-2006/ |title=Gen. Charles H. Terhune (1916-2006) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|-
|6
|[[File:General Lew Allen, official military photo.jpg|70px]]
|[[Lew Allen, Jr.]]
|October 1982
|December 31, 1990
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechOH:OH_Allen_L |title=Lew Allen Oral History Interview, interviewed by Heidi Aspaturian, Caltech Archives Oral History Project, June 10, 1991, April 4, 1994 |page=31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-lew-allen-jr-1925-2010/ |title=Dr. Lew Allen, Jr. (1925-2010) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|-
|7
|[[File:E1-1980s_Ed_Stone_Portrait.jpg|70px]]
|[[Edward C. Stone]]
|January 1, 1991
|April 30, 2001
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/dr-ed-stone-solar-system-explorer/ |title=Dr. Ed Stone, Solar System Explorer |date=January 1, 2001 |publisher=JPL}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-edward-c-stone-1936/ |title=Dr. Edward C. Stone (1936-2024) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|-
|8
|[[File:Charles Elachi in 2014.jpg|70px]]
|[[Charles Elachi]]
|May 1, 2001
|June 30, 2016
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/charles-elachi-to-retire-as-jpl-director/ |title=Charles Elachi to retire as JPL Director |date=October 28, 2015 |publisher=JPL}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/jplhistory/learnmore/directors.php |title=JPL Directors |publisher=JPL |access-date=August 26, 2010 |archive-date=June 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607183537/https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/jplhistory/learnmore/directors.php |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-charles-elachi-1947/ |title=Dr. Charles Elachi (1947- ) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|-
|9
|[[File:Michael M. Watkins.jpg|70px]]
|[[Michael M. Watkins]]
|July 1, 2016
|August 20, 2021
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6471 |title=News &#124; Michael Watkins Named Next JPL Director |website=Jet Propulsion Laboratory |date=May 2, 2016 |access-date=August 24, 2016 |archive-date=June 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607073209/https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6471 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=JPL Director Michael Watkins to Return to Academia |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpl-director-michael-watkins-to-return-to-academia |access-date=2021-09-09 |website=NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) |date=August 9, 2021 |archive-date=2021-09-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909164355/https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpl-director-michael-watkins-to-return-to-academia |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/faces-of-leadership-the-directors-of-jpl/dr-michael-watkins-2016/ |title=Dr. Michael Watkins (1962- ) |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|interim
|[[File:Larry D. James, Lt Gen.jpg|70px]]
|[[Larry D. James]]
|August 21, 2021
|May 15, 2022
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|10
|[[File:Dr. Laurie Leshin.jpg|70px]]
|[[Laurie Leshin]]
|May 16, 2022
|present <!-- June 30, 2025 -- do not make this date visible until after date has passed -->
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/caltech-names-laurie-leshin-director-of-jpl |title=Caltech Names Laurie Leshin Director of JPL |website=Jet Propulsion Laboratory |language=en |access-date=2022-01-27 |archive-date=2022-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127230853/https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/caltech-names-laurie-leshin-director-of-jpl |url-status=live |date=January 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://spacenews.com/leshin-to-step-down-as-jpl-director/ |title= Leshin to step down as JPL director |first=Jeff |last=Foust |date=May 7, 2025 |work=[[SpaceNews]]}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#ccccfe" <!-- remove bgcolor after June 1, 2025 -->
|designate <!-- 10 -- replace after June 1, 2025 -->
| [[File:Dave-Gallagher-JPL.jpg|70px]]
|Dave Gallagher
|colspan="2"|Will start on June 1, 2025
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/dave-gallagher-named-11th-director-of-jpl-as-laurie-leshin-steps-down/ |title=Dave Gallagher Named 11th Director of JPL as Laurie Leshin Steps Down |date=May 7, 2025 |publisher=JPL}}</ref>
|-
|}