CASIS Announces Margaret Jenny and Dr. John Sheets as Newest Members of Board of Directors
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), February 10, 2022 – The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc. (CASIS(Abbreviation: CASIS™) The nonprofit organization that manages the ISS National Lab, which receives at least 50 percent of the U.S. research allocation on the International Space Station to facilitate research that benefits humanity (NASA manages the other 50% and focuses on research for space exploration purposes).), manager of the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) National Laboratory, announced the addition of two new members to the organization’s board of directors: Margaret Jenny and John Sheets, Ph.D. The CASIS Board of Directors seeks to ensure and enhance the utility of the ISS National Lab to further fundamental and applied space-based research that brings value to our nation and drives a robust market in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles..
“With the addition of Margaret Jenny and John Sheets, CASIS continues to form a board of directors with vast experience and expertise in the sciences, aerospace, and business,” said CASIS Board of Directors Chairperson Elizabeth Cantwell. “We are excited that these two new board members are joining our incredible mission as we seek to utilize the ISS National Lab for innovative and results-oriented research and technology development that showcases what is possible when gravity is no longer a variable.”
Jenny’s career in aviation spans more than 30 years, most recently at MJENNY Strategies, where she worked with government, commercial, and nonprofit clients to develop business strategies for sustained success. Prior to MJENNY Strategies, Jenny served as president of RTCA, a private, not-for-profit corporation that serves as the premier public-private venue for forging consensus on aviation policy and technology issues. Additionally, Jenny has held leadership positions at the MITRE Corporation, US Airways, Aeronautical Radio, Inc. (ARINC), and MJF Strategies. She has also served on a variety of advisory committees and boards, including the Aero Club of Washington, the International Aviation Women’s Association, Women in Aerospace, the National Aeronautic Association, the National Academy of Sciences, and multiple NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration advisory groups. Jenny has an undergraduate degree from Indiana University and a master’s degree in computer science from American University.
Sheets currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Eyesight Mobile, a startup recently formed to address the unmet need for mobile digital ophthalmic diagnostics. He has also held leadership roles at Elisar Vision Technology, Lifenet Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Anika, Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson, and Bausch & Lomb, among others. Additionally, Sheets has served on boards for a variety of companies that specialize in the development of new therapeutics to improve patient care. He has an undergraduate degree in zoology and a doctorate in materials science and engineering from the University of Florida. He also completed the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School and was elected as a fellow at the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
CASIS manages the ISS National Lab through a Cooperative AgreementA cooperative agreement is Federal assistance that establishes a relationship between the U.S. Government and a recipient in which the principal purpose of the relationship is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation. Since 2011, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™) has managed the National Laboratory® through a Cooperative Agreement with NASA. with NASA. To learn more about the science sponsored by the ISS National Lab and opportunities to become part of the space station research community, please visit issnationallab.org.
Media Contact:
Patrick O’Neill
904-806-0035
PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org
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About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory: The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Lab allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit issnationallab.org.
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