The Space Education & Strategic Applications Conference, co-organized by the American Public University System and the Policy Studies Organization brings together influencers, innovators, groundbreakers, and decision-makers within all areas of the space community – astronauts, astrobiologists, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, educators, associations, and policy makers. We aim to promote multidisciplinary conversations about issues related to both military and civilian space, at the intersection between science, technology, education, and policy.
Presenters and attendees will have many opportunities to share current findings, identify challenges and share solutions through rich discussions and networking.
NASA astronaut Eileen Collins reveals encouraging perspectives and insight on the leadership skills needed to break barriers and become a successful pioneer in the field.
One of America’s most admired women, Colonel Collins became the first female to pilot a U.S. spacecraft with the Discovery shuttle flight in 1995, and the first female commander on the 1999 Columbia shuttle flight. In 2005, NASA recruited Colonel Collins to command Discovery’s historic “Return to Flight” mission - NASA’s first manned flight following the loss of space shuttle Columbia in 2003.
While logging 872 hours in space, Collins earned a reputation for coolness under pressure. With that same calm demeanor, she shares how her career as an astronaut took shape, from her early years in the U.S. Air Force, to her ground-breaking experience with NASA. Her memoir, Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars, is scheduled for publication on October 5, 2021.
Drawing from her career experiences, Eileen reveals valuable insights learned from both her successes and her failures. From the importance of working with others to achieve lofty goals, to successful leadership in dynamic environments, her perspective inspires individuals to embark on their own original journey. For audiences interested in space exploration, she also provides insight into the future of space travel as the world explores exciting new space frontiers.
Robert Zubrin is the President of Pioneer Astronautics, an aerospace R&D company located in Lakewood, Colorado. He is also the Founder and President of the Mars Society. Formerly a Staff Engineer at Lockheed Martin Astronautics in Denver, he holds a Master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Washington. Zubrin has authored 20 patents and over 200 published technical and non-technical papers in the field of space exploration and technology.
In addition to his many technical publications, Dr. Zubrin is the author of nine books, including The Case for Mars: How We Shall Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must, published by Simon and Schuster’s Free Press Division in Oct. 1996, Entering Space: Creating a Spacefaring Civilization, published by Tarcher Putnam in Aug. 1999, and many more.
Since founding Pioneer Astronautics in January 1996, Dr. Zubrin has served as the Principal Investigator for over 50 research and development projects in areas including spacecraft and launch vehicle propulsion systems, Mars and Lunar in-situ resource utilization technology, EVA life support and propulsion, and robotic exploration systems. As leader of the Mars Society, he led the construction of two Mars analog research stations – one in the Canadian High Arctic in 2000 and the other in the American desert in 2001 - and led a program involving over 200 simulated Mars exploration missions at those stations during the period since. Prior to working at Lockheed Martin, he worked in a number of areas, including thermonuclear fusion, nuclear power plant safety, and as a high school science teacher.
Angie Bukley, Principal Engineer at Aerospace and past Dean and VP for Academics and Research at ISU
Donald James, Author and retired NASA Associate Administrator for Education
Gary Martin, ISU VP for North American Operations and retired Director of Partnerships at NASA
Roy Nakagawa, Senior Project Engineer and past ISU Director of the Space Studies Program
The focus of this panel discussion will be the importance of teaching the interdisciplinary, international, and intercultural aspects of space education. As the space enterprise continues to grow globally, it is imperative that students are trained in, or at least exposed to, all three of these important elements. All four panelists are connected with the International Space University (ISU) which stresses the 3Is approach in all its programs. There are over 5100 ISU alumni from 110 countries and over 75% work in the aerospace industry. Some have started their own companies, achieved leadership positions in industry and government, three are astronauts and six are or have been heads of space agencies. The ISU network has proven effective to find talent and for alumni to find aerospace jobs.
Chair: Michelle Watts, American Public University System
The Role of the Commercial Sector in US Governmental Space Activities
Therese Jones, Senior Director of Policy, Satellite Industry Association
Private Sector Visionaries are the Way Forward
Gary Deel, American Public University System
The Legal and Ethical Issues of Space Flight Participants: Exploring the Realm of Space Tourism in the United States
Mark Kelso, American Public University System
Futurism: Legal Topics in the 21st Century
James Barney and Allison Becker, American Public University System
How do we future-proof our curriculum so that our students are prepared to meet emerging workforce demands related to space? This panel explores several different aspects of the space realm. Panelists will discuss aspects of national and international law that need to be considered as countries and businesses increase their presence and activities in space. In addition, we will discuss legal and ethical considerations in contracting, as well the relationship between commercial interests and government activity. Moreover, we will examine the implications of space-based commercial development as space becomes increasingly congested and contested. The panel will wrap up by discussing the curricular changes needed to meet the demands of this changing environment. While in reality, there is no way to accurately predict the full evolution of the space domain, we can investigate current trends in order to update our curriculum as well as innovate to meet the anticipated needs.
Chris Johnson, Secure World Foundation
A useful discussion on the norms governing outer space begins with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and continues with national space legislation and space policies. 2021 is a year of both change and continuity with the past, and national civil and commercial space ambitions continue to progress while serious space sustainability and space security concerns become increasingly important. This panel will feature international experts to discuss current and near-term international and national space law issues and trends, including updates from UN COPUOS and others.
Rebecca Batchelor, University of Colorado
Hendratta Ali, Fort Hays State University
Kathryn Gardner-Vandy, Oklahoma State University
A pipeline model of workforce development no longer captures the reality of a modern, inclusive STEM career. Further, it fails to capture and value the wide range of paths and experiences individuals bring to our field, or the need to evolve around changing opportunities and life events. In this panel discussion, we will join the audience in a discussion of the new paper “Reimagining STEM Workforce Development as a Braided River” (https://eos.org/opinions/reimagining-stem-workforce-development-as-a-braided-river) and how we can move toward a STEM environment that includes, supports, and values the wide range of individuals within it.
Kandis Boyd-Wyatt, American Public University System
Stevenson Demorcy, CEO, STEAMedDrones
Stevenson Demorcy is the CEO of STEAMedDrones, a company that inspires tomorrow's leaders to pursue careers in drone applications. Dr. Kandis Boyd-Wyatt is a professor of Transportation and Logistics at APUS and researches Artificial Intelligence with advanced transportation systems. This presentation will highlight advances in drone technology, the need to incorporate women and minorities into this emerging field, and the ethical considerations needed to drone advancement.
Randa Milliron, CEO, Interorbital Systems
This presentation will focus be on how Interorbital Systems is democratizing space access through its development of ultra-low-cost launch vehicles and small satellite kits. We now have over 170 satellite units on our launch manifest, most of which are academic. Our CubeSat and TubeSat kits are the center of STEM program curricula in over 25 countries.
Chair: Robert Bell, Executive Director, Space & Satellite Professionals International
TBD: 3 speakers
This panel will focus on exploring the SSPI’s Better Satellite World Program: its origin, goals, and what we learned about communicating the value of technology. We will be playing up to three of our videos, and then bring in executives from the three companies that helped us produce them to talk about the impact of their products and services on the world.
The modern world literally runs on satellite – from data networks and TV to Internet, agriculture, energy and transport – though far too few people know it. The commercial satellite industry is now attracting a new generation of entrepreneurs and investors dedicated to lowering launch costs, downsizing spacecraft, servicing them in orbit and delivering ubiquitous connectivity at competitive prices. The Better Satellite World campaign shows the world why our industry, though often invisible, is indispensable to modern life, through powerful stories and videos that depict space and satellite technologies contributing to the economy, society and sustainability of planet Earth.
The Scully Effect: The X-Files and Women in STEM
Jolene Mendel, American Public University System
Science and Survival in the Sci Fi of Indigenous Writers
Susan Lowman-Thomas, American Public University System
Beyond Science Fiction as Entertainment: Why Every English Department Should Offer Science Fiction
Melissa Rigney, American Public University System
The Original Space Explorers: Science Fiction Writers in the Pulp Magazines of the Gernsback Years
Batya Weinbaum, American Public University System
Consider the impossibility of airplanes in the 1910s, space travel in the 1930s, or palm-sized personal computers in the 1970s. They were all impossible. Absolutely impossible. Until they weren’t. Many of our greatest scientific inventions, discoveries, and travels were first conceived of by creative minds. Writers, filmmakers, and scriptwriters have always pushed the boundaries of science. Jules Verne, HG Wells, and Aldous Huxley, for example, actually predicted many of science’s marvels long before they were possible in the “real” world. The graphic and visual representation of the possible within the impossible by creative minds has long driven a popular interest in and understanding of science.
Chair: Elizabeth Kennick, President, Teachers In Space, Inc.
Hasshi Sudler, Villanova University
Chris Murphy, Gloversville NY High School and High Altitude Achievement
Joe Latrell, CEO, Mini-Cubes, LLC
TBD: Rachael Manzer, 4H STEM coach, world champion First Robotics
TBD (2 speakers): Global Spaceport Alliance, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, NASA or Future Engineers
Teachers in Space have been conducting space training workshops and professional development for K-12 teachers (sometimes including their students) since 2011. We've helped teachers launch over a hundred successful experiments on high altitude balloons, the world record setting Perlan 2 stratospheric glider, the International Space Station, and Blue Origin's suborbital New Sheppard rocket. How have educators approached teaching Space Education? What's working for them? What isn't?
Technology and Engineering are distinct subjects which few school teachers are trained to teach. Teachers in Spacefocuses on developing these skills through such topics as:
- Using spreadsheets to manipulate and format comma-deliminated data
- Building and configuring remote sensing systems with arduino and raspberry pi
- What is engineering? Understanding the engineering lifecycle and the importance of requirements, limits and test planning.
- Project risk and mission management: Learning by NOT losing your flight experiment!
Space Race 2.0 Between the US and China: Strategic Implications for Space Security
Kenneth Wooten, American Military University
Russian Power Competition in Space: Implications for the US
Mark A. Duree, American Military University
Towards a Theory of Space Power and the Threat to US Space Hegemony
James J. Rooney, American Military University
Ryan Udell, Director of External Affairs, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS)
TBD: 3 speakers
This panel will be conducted by members from the national organization, and local chapters of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) organization, who are students and/or young professionals that will be discussing ways to get involved in space from a variety of backgrounds and interests.
Shelia Scott Newman, American Public University System
Andrew Ross Wilson, Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
This panel discussion will focus on key environmental impacts generated by the space sector and how these can be reduced in a scientific and standardized manner using life cycle assessment (LCA).Each panelist will provide a short presentation on LCA and space relevant issues based on previous doctoral work and other experience. They will discuss major environmental hotspots of a typical space mission, how LCA can be used to address these, and what the future holds for space sustainability.
Layla Martin, Harvard University
Lamar Glover, California State University
TBD: 2 speakers
This panel will discuss research that incorporates 6 unique space-industry data sets (n=2,381), which were mined utilizing publicly available information to address and define the gendered data gap within the sector more accurately. Results show that gendered gaps within the space sector persist. Findings also indicate that root-cause systems of oppression are, mostly, treated as a given rather than being problematized and resolved. These systems, combined with a compounding range of factors from unconscious bias, systemic racism and gendered data gaps reinforce the lack of equal access to capital and decision-making power, inhibiting women from founding aerospace companies and enacting smart-powered, female-centric priorities in space.