Brightest minds discuss space possibilities at Symposium

The Space Foundation’s 28th National space Symposium will bring together some of the greatest scientific minds in the United States – for one event only.

Moderated by Bill Nye the Science Guy, a popular media figure as well as a legitimate scientist, the last panel discussion of the April 16-19 event will delve into scientific issues, accomplishments and opportunities in space exploration.

Confirmed for the “Mega Minds: Leading scientists discuss the future of psace exploration’: Amy Mainzer of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Carolyn Porco of the Space Science Institute, Lisa Randall of Harvard University and Steven Squyres of Cornell University.

Mainzer is an astronomer, specializing in astrophysical instrumentation and infrared astronomy. She is the deputy project scientist for the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and principal investigator for a project to study the minor planets.

Porco is a planetary scientist known for her exploration of the outer solar system and imaging work on the 1980s Voyager mission to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Randall is a professor of science at Harvard, where she studies theoretical particle physics and cosmology. Her research connects theoretical insights to puzzles in current understanding of the properties and interactions of matter.

Squyres is a professor of astronomy at Cornell University and the principal scientific investigator for NASA’s Mars exploration rover project. His research focuses on robotic exploration of planetary surfaces, the history of water in mars, geophysics and tectonics of icy satellites, tectonics of Venus, planetary gamma-ray and x-ray spectroscopy.

One Response to “Brightest minds discuss space possibilities at Symposium”

1. Rock Spencer Says:
   January 9th, 2012 at 12:11 pm

   In the 1960′s Robert Heinlien foretold that the Colorado Springs area would be the home of a space port simply due the the astronomical difference in the cost of boost between sea level and the 6000 foot elevation of Colorado Springs.