The Smithsonian’s Dr. Ellen Stofan and NASA’s Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen to Keynote Day 2 Session at ISSRDC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), July 22, 2021 – Dr. Ellen Stofan, under secretary for science and research at the Smithsonian Institution, will join NASA’s associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, in a keynote address during the 10^th annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference(Abbreviation: ISSRDC) The only conference dedicated exclusively to showcasing how the International Space Station is advancing science and technology and enabling a robust and sustainable market in LEO. This annual conference brings together leaders from the commercial sector, U.S. government agencies, and academic communities to foster innovation and discovery onboard the space station. ISSRDC is hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, manager of the ISS National Lab; NASA; and the American Astronautical Society. (ISSRDC), August 3-5. This virtual event will bring together researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, investors, and the general public to highlight the benefits of space-based research and technology development onboard the orbiting laboratory. ISSRDC is hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the American Astronautical Society.

The keynote session, slated to be held on August 4 from 10:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EDT, will discuss NASA’s research objectives and its role of engaging the general public on the impact of science and technology development performed in space. This segment will also highlight the many ways that the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) can be leveraged to improve life on Earth, further space-based business models, inspire the next generation to encourage and advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable 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 25 years in and around the space industry, Dr. Stofan brings a rich background of experience. In addition to serving as the vice president and senior scientist for a consulting firm specializing in planetary research, Stofan has held many positions with NASA.  She served as the deputy project scientist for the Magellan Mission to Venus and was the chief scientist for the New Millenium Program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. As NASA’s chief scientist from 2013 to 2016, she helped guide the development of a long-range plan to get humans to Mars and designed strategies for NASA to support commercial activity in low Earth Orbit.

In her current position with the Smithsonian, Dr. Stofan is focused on the Institute’s scientific initiatives and commitment to research, particularly in the areas of biodiversity, global health, climate change, species conservation, astrophysics, and the search for life outside Earth’s solar system.

Prior to joining NASA, Dr. Zurbuchen was a professor of space science and aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan, and was the founding director of the university’s Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals on solar and heliospheric phenomena.

In his current role as the associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Dr. Zurbuchen and his team are tasked with engaging the nation’s science community, sponsoring scientific research, and developing and deploying satellites and probes in collaboration with NASA’s global partners to answer fundamental questions requiring the view from and into space. Dr. Zurbuchen is also responsible for ensuring that NASA’s science missions build partnerships across disciplines and with industry and other nations to advance the frontiers of knowledge and exploration.

To learn more about Dr. Zurbuchen and Dr. Stofan and their keynote session at ISSRDC, or to view the latest agenda and speakers, or register, please visit www.issconference.org. ISSRDC is free to attend, although registration is required.

Media Contact:
Patrick O’Neill
904-806-0035
PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org

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About the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. 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(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).) manages the ISS National Lab, under 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, 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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