David H. Sliski is Research Engagement Manager for Georgia Tech's Space Research Institute (SRI) and Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM). In this role, he works with faculty and external stakeholders to identify shared priorities, cultivate strategic relationships, and develop collaborative opportunities across industry, government, philanthropy, and academia.
David brings a multidisciplinary background spanning scientific research, research infrastructure, management consulting, philanthropy, data and technology, and institutional strategy. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in astrophysics from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. in astronomy and physics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Commonwealth Honors College. His research experience includes exoplanet science, astronomical instrumentation, robotic observatories, large-scale scientific data analysis, and leadership of complex observational campaigns. He is the author or co-author of more than two dozen peer-reviewed scientific publications.
Prior to joining Georgia Tech, David's work included federally funded research programs, international scientific collaborations, stewardship of major scientific assets and heritage collections, commercial strategy consulting, and philanthropic initiatives supporting research and higher education. His experience includes work with the LIGO Collaboration, a joint NASA-ESA mission, NSF-supported research expeditions, preservation initiatives undertaken with Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution, and consulting engagements spanning technology, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations.
Drawing on these experiences, David helps translate between the priorities of researchers and external organizations, connecting opportunities across research, workforce development, innovation, philanthropy, and institutional strategy. He works to align external challenges and opportunities with Georgia Tech's faculty expertise, facilities, students, research programs, and broader innovation ecosystem. This emphasis on multi-sector engagement closely mirrors the ecosystem-building and relationship-integration responsibilities described in the proposed Senior Research Engagement Manager framework.