Robyn Alice McCutcheon (born Robert Allen McCutcheon)[1] is an American diplomat, engineer and historian.
She received her master's degrees in astronomy from Yale University and master's degrees in Russian studies from Georgetown University.[2] She was previously an astronomer and historian.[3] She is known for her work on the history of Soviet astronomy.[4] She also has several publications to her credit on the history of Soviet and Russian science during the Stalin period.[2] She became a member of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in 1983[5] and was a member of the Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) of the AAS[6] and chair of the AAS International Relations Committee.[7] She formerly worked at the Space Telescope Science Institute and the Computer Sciences Corporation.[8] She also worked as an engineer on NASA missions, primarily Hubble Space Telescope.[2][9]
She joined the US Department of State in 2004 and became a Foreign Service Officer in several countries, including Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan. She served at the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center in 2013–14.[9] McCutcheon is a trans woman and is the first person to transition while posted overseas.[9][10] She transitioned in 2011 in Romania.[1] She also served as president of glifaa, LGBTQIA+ pride in foreign affairs agencies.[11]
35 Years (Joined the AAS in 1983): McCutcheon, Robyn
And I am very pleased with the ongoing work of the International Relations Committee (Bob McCutcheon, chair)...
Robert McCutcheon, Space Telescope Science Institute/Computer Sciences Corp., 1054 West St., Laurel, MD 20910, USA (rmccutch@csc.com)
I became the first U.S. foreign service officer to openly and publicly transition while serving at a U.S. mission overseas.
Kerry praised GLIFAA President Robyn McCutcheon, who is the first foreign service officer to come out as transgender....