Stella Kafka

Stella Kafka, Ph.D., is an associate program officer at The Kavli Foundation, supporting activities and projects across multiple scientific fields. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2025, Dr. Kafka held several senior leadership roles at national and international scientific organizations, overseeing strategy, governance, operations, and global engagement. Her scientific background includes research and academic appointments at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, the Carnegie Institution for Science as a NASA Astrobiology Institute Fellow, and at the Infrared Processing & Analysis Center (IPEC) at Caltech. She has published extensively in the field of astrophysics and has led federally-funded student research and education programs.

Dr. Kafka holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy with minors in Physics and Geophysical Sciences, and is a Certified Association Executive. She serves on multiple boards and advisory committees, to share her skills and expertise in scientific leadership, STEM education, program development, and international science communication with the community.