It is the largest Earth and Space Science research organization in the world. The Directorate provides Project Scientists to GSFC programs who ensure that the scientific goals are met. Many Directorate scientists are instrument and mission principal investigators and also lead many research and analysis programs, that are awarded through full and open competition with the entire U.S. science community. The Directorate also leads many data modeling and science data center activities, that serve the world-wide science community. And also a conducts a vibrant Education and Public Outreach program to widely communicate the results.

Previously Dr. White was Director of the Astrophysics Science Division (2004-2007), Chief of the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics (2000-2004), Head of the X-ray Astrophysics Branch (1995-1999), and Head of the Office for Guest Investigator programs (1990-1995). Dr. White was the founding Director of the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (1990-2007). He played a key role in working with NASA HQ and the science community to formulate the Beyond Einstein program. And has been a project scientist on several missions (e.g. Suzaku and Constellation-X) and participated in proposals for new missions (e.g., Swift).

Between 1982 and 1990 Dr. White worked for the European Space Agency, first as a research fellow, then as the project scientist for the EXOSAT mission. Between 1978 and 1982 Dr. White was a University of Maryland research scientist working at GSFC as a research scientist on the Einstein and HEAO-1 observatories. Dr. White received a B.Sc. degree in Physics from the University of Leicester (1970) and a Phd in Space Science from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London (1977). His research is primarily in the area of X-ray Astronomy, studying emissions from matter falling onto Black Holes and Neutron stars. Over his career to date, Dr. White has authored or coauthored approximately 200 publications in refereed journals.