Symposium Home // Event Agenda
Celebrating 5 years
June 9 + 10, 2026
South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center
2500 South Shore Blvd
League City, TX 77573
Symposium Event Map
Recommended Airport: William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
Last-call before 5pm
Breakfast
Dr. Lauren Hunt, Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory
Nackieb Kamin, Technical Director, United States Space Force
Joshua Carlson, USSF SSTI Program Manager
Gen. Kim Crider (ret.), Founding Partner, Elara Nova
Gwen Griffin, Board Chair, Texas Space Commission
Success in space and defense often depends on understanding government priorities, even when those needs are not explicitly stated. This panel brings together industry leaders and former government officials to discuss how to identify emerging priorities and interpret signals behind programs and procurement decisions. Panelists will share practical strategies for anticipating government demand and positioning technologies to align with mission needs.
Dr. Lauren Hunt, Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory
Col (Ret.) Eric Felt, Space Technology Strategist, Felt Consulting, LLC
Stan Straight, Vice President of Spacecraft Engineering, BlackVe
Joel Mozer, Futurist and Strategy Developer, Mind Set
A fast-paced, structured speed networking activity designed to facilitate quick introductions and encourage cross-sector connections.
Current research pertaining to the SSTI award focus areas will be showcased. Attendees will have the opportunity to walk through the poster area, engage directly with researchers, ask questions, and discuss ongoing work, emerging results, and potential collaboration opportunities.
Scheduled transition break.
Attendees will choose one of the following breakout sessions:
Breakout Session 1
How to Get your Research to Space
This panel brings together leaders from government space test programs, national laboratories, and research institutions to discuss how researchers can access platforms such as Department of Defense initiatives and the International Space Station National Laboratory. Panelists will highlight practical pathways, proposal strategies, and key requirements for getting technologies into orbit.
Lt. Col. Brian Shimek, Director, DoD Space Test Program
Dr. Lawrence Robertson, Senior Scientist, Lead Space Experimentalist, AFRL
Dr. Robert Ambrose, Project Office Director for Space, Strategic Advanced Research Unit, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
Janice Makinen, Research Portfolio Manager, MiPROM Lead, NASA
Breakout Session 2
From Bench to Market: Turning University Research into Space Ventures and/or Licensed Technologies
This panel brings together founders and researchers who have successfully translated university innovations into startups and licensed technologies. Panelists will share how they identified commercial potential, navigated tech transfer and disclosure processes, and partnered with industry. Attendees will gain practical insights into turning academic research into real-world impact.
Walt Ugalde, Industry & Entrepreneurial Engagement Lead, NASA
Benjamin Jorns, Associate Professor, University of Michigan Dept of Aerospace Engineering
David Barnhart, Research Professor of Astronautics, University of Southern California
Maria Berishaj, Head of Science, Kall Morris Inc (KMI)
Chandra Raman, Dunn Family Professor, Georgia Tech School of Physics
Breakout Session 3
From Introduction to Impact: How Universities and Industry Build Successful Partnerships
This university-led breakout session will explore practical strategies for building and sustaining effective university–industry partnerships. Panelists with experience in both academia and industry will share how collaborations are initiated, structured, and aligned for mutual value, along with lessons learned and common challenges. The session will include candid insights and interactive discussion with the audience.
Dr. Myrriah Tomar, Director Innovation & Commercialization, University of North Texas
Sean McSherry, Director of Product Development, Heat2Power Inc.
Nicole Saro, External Engagement Lead, Lockheed Martin Space
Scott Smas, Associate Director, Arizona State University
Karl Johnson, Capture and Program Management Associate, Advanced Space
Step away from the lecture seats and dive into a fast-paced, interactive activity designed to spark creativity and highlight the power of team innovation. In this hands-on challenge from Mind Set, participants will work in small teams to experience how diverse perspectives and creative strengths drive better outcomes. This energizing session sets the stage for deeper exploration of innovative, next-generation solutions in the space domain.
Join fellow attendees for an informal networking reception designed to foster conversation and connection across government, academia, and industry. This relaxed setting provides an opportunity to continue discussions from the day’s sessions, build new relationships, and explore potential collaboration opportunities.
Breakfast
Joshua Carlson, USSF SSTI/UCRO Program Manager
The Mind Set team will lead a participatory strategic foresight workshop using the Mind Set Method to explore future space operations and emerging challenges. Through collaborative discussions that integrate diverse perspectives from academia, industry, and government, attendees will co-create insights, identify relevant research opportunities, and align strengths with Space Force needs.
Current research pertaining to the SSTI award focus areas will be showcased. Attendees will have the opportunity to walk through the poster area, engage directly with researchers, ask questions, and discuss ongoing work, emerging results, and potential collaboration opportunities.
Attendees will choose one of the following breakout sessions:
Breakout Session 1
Understanding Technology Transition Pathways
Have you ever connected with a government innovator who’s excited about your work—only to discover they don’t have funding to support it? This session highlights practical technology transition pathways you can “keep in your back pocket” for exactly these moments—offering low- to no-cost, low-risk ways to sustain momentum and build trusted relationships behind the fence. Panelists will introduce key mechanisms, including SBIR/STTR programs, Educational Partnership Agreements (EPAs), Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and others, followed by small-group discussions where attendees can explore these options in more detail and ask targeted questions relevant to their work.
Sara Telano, Branch Chief, Technology Engagement Office, Air Force Research Laboratory
Breakout Session 2
From Lab to Launch: Communicating Research Impact to the Government Audiences
This panel brings together key voices from the Space Force ecosystem to share how university and industry researchers can effectively engage with Government innovators. Attendees will gain practical insight into aligning research with mission needs, communicating impact, and navigating pathways to funding. The session will highlight what captures attention, what leads to successful partnerships, and how to move ideas from concept to capability.
Kathy Steen, Innovation Program Manager, NewSpace Nexus
Whitney Hessler, Branch Chief, SpaceWERX
KiMar Gartman, Owner & President, KiMar’s Business Consulting
Jason Kessler, Program Executive, NASA
Eric Lam, Director, AFRL Regional Network – Midwest
Breakout Session 3
Principal Investigator Bootcamp
The PI Bootcamp is an overview of the process to seek spaceflight through the DoW Space Experiments Review Board (SERB). It is meant for the experimenters/investigators who are seeking to bring their experiment through the process. We will cover the history of the SERB, processes, requirements, and expectations. We will then cover the expectations and what to expect from the Space Test Program.
Dr. David Callaway, Chief, New Mission Development, United States Space Force
Lonny Webb, Chief, Mission Design, United States Space Force
Dr. Perry Ballard, Technical Assistance to the DOD Space Test Program, United States Space Force
Dr. Kristine Waller, Associate Systems Director, The Aerospace Corporation
Cory Williams, United States Space Force
Nic Heersema, Chief Engineer, United States Space Force
Mind Set will share key insights from the morning’s strategic foresight workshop and review how the methodology serves as a framework for developing priority capabilities for next-next generation space operations. Participants can employ this process in their own work going forward, to comprehensively determine emerging research opportunities across the SSTI areas and initial pathways for aligning strengths with U.S. Space Force needs.
