In this newly created role, Ali will help drive development and implementation of a strategic roadmap aimed at strengthening UCF鈥檚 role in space commercialization. 聽 This includes expanding UCF鈥檚 network of industry partnerships and collaborating with state leaders and the State 海角直播 System to develop the talent needed to sustain and advance Florida鈥檚 leadership in the space sector.

鈥淧rofessor Ali is a pioneer in space leadership education,鈥� says Greg Autry, associate provost of space commercialization and strategy at UCF. 鈥淗e goes above and beyond as an educator working hard to help his students network and build successful careers in the space industry.鈥�

Ali will work closely with Autry and continue his work should Autry be confirmed as chief financial officer at NASA.

Ali also will contribute to the ongoing development of educational programming that aligns the college鈥檚 mission to prepare the next generation of space-focused business leaders with industry needs. Last week UCF launched the online space MBA as a premier program for professionals looking to advance their careers in the rapidly growing space economy.

鈥淚t is an honor to join the team at UCF to help launch the first true space MBA,鈥� Ali says. 鈥淕iven UCF鈥檚 origins as a workforce development partner for NASA, its history as premier research and applied technology institution, and its location near the Space Coast, we are perfectly positioned to become the world leader in education for space and create the leaders who will take humanity into a new age of exploration and opportunity. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the College of Business and UCF community as we truly become Space U.鈥�

Ali has held executive roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, where he led global strategy for high performance computing and advised numerous space startups, including Pulsar Space, Magdrive, Parsimoni, ThinkOrbital, Paterson Aerospace and Space Railway. He is a frequent speaker on topics such as space innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, the future of work and enterprise agility.

Earlier in his career, Ali served as senior manager at the Universities Space Research Association, leading efforts in aviation data science, AI, quantum science and nanotechnology for NASA Ames. He was a senior member of the project management office for NASA鈥檚 Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, overseeing software development, safety and quality, laboratory buildouts and international science ground operations.

He has a bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics from the 海角直播 of California Berkely and an executive master of global management from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

The Online Space MBA starts Spring 2026 with a Dec. 1 application deadline. For more information about the program, visit .

A national leader in online education and the top supplier of talent to the nation鈥檚 aerospace and defense industries, the 海角直播 established the new MBA program to support the space commercialization industry and a global space economy that is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.

鈥淲e have world-class researchers, direct connections to the space industry and the very best location,鈥� says Greg Autry, associate provost for space commercialization and strategy at UCF and President Trump鈥檚 nominee to become NASA鈥檚 chief financial officer. 鈥淚 want students to come to UCF knowing they can participate in an industry that鈥檚 about to take off, no matter what field they鈥檙e interested in. This is the place to launch the next stage of your career.鈥�

The UCF space MBA brings together UCF鈥檚 excellence in space and online education and is designed to develop forward-thinking leaders who will shape the future of the commercial space sector. With a curriculum focused on space commercialization, business strategy and innovation, graduates will be ready to lead in fast-growing and high-impact roles across the commercial space, aerospace, government, startups and emerging tech industries.

The MBA will be a fully online, part-time graduate business program spanning 24 months in which students will take a set of core MBA courses plus four electives focused on space entrepreneurship, governmental and commercial space finance, space leadership and the global space domain. With a flexible, asynchronous format, this program allows students to learn from anywhere on Earth 鈥� or even in orbit.

With more than 25 years of experience providing top online degrees, UCF is a trusted source for innovative education technology and is recognized among the nation鈥檚 leaders in online education. Classes in more than 130 fully online degree programs are led by world-class faculty with extensive industry and academic experience who prepare students well to thrive and advance in their careers.

鈥淭he space industry isn鈥檛 the future. It鈥檚 happening now. Our new space MBA will put talent at the center of that movement,鈥� says Paul Jarley, dean of the UCF College of Business, which will be offering the new program. 鈥淯nder Dr. Autry鈥檚 leadership, the space MBA will develop business pioneers ready to drive innovation in space commercialization. This is an important step in the business school becoming a key asset in supporting UCF’s mission to鈥痓e Florida鈥檚 Premier Engineering and Technology 海角直播.”

Autry leads the college鈥檚 efforts to deliver executive and MBA programs in space commercialization while helping America鈥檚 Space 海角直播 craft and implement a roadmap for its space efforts. Before joining UCF in 2024, he was the director and clinical professor of space leadership, policy and business at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State 海角直播. He serves as the vice president for space development at the National Space Society and chairs the Business Case sub-committee for NASA鈥檚 In Space Production Applications program, which sends manufacturing experiments to the International Space Station.

Applications are open now until Dec. 1, with classes beginning in Spring 2026. Visit to learn more and apply.