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Agenda

Hear from researchers and celebrate student research at the 2025 NC Space Symposium!

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7:30 am – Registration Opens

7:30 – 8:30 am – Student Poster Set Up

7:30 – 8:30 am – Continental Breakfast and Networking

8:30 – 8:35 am – Welcome & Opening Remarks

Susan White, Director, North Carolina Space Grant

8:35 – 9:05 am – Plenary Presentation

Kimberly Brush, Chief of Staff, NASA Langley Research Center

9:05 – 10:05 am – INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS
NC Industry Contributions to the Space Economy

Moderated by Jeff Mobley, Senior Chief Engineer for Spacecraft Systems – Sierra Space and NC Space Grant Advisory Board

Speakers:

  • James Ainsworth, VP Engineering Services – Collier Aerospace
  • Jamie Coker, Director of Programs – Sierra Space
  • Bridget Simmons, Human Resources Manager – Machine Specialties, Inc.

10:05 – 10:15 am – Networking Break

Refreshments and beverages available in the general session room.

10:15 – 11:00 am – Student Poster Session 1 and Student Team Showcase

Odd-numbered posters presented

11:00 – 11:15 am – Networking Break

Transition back to the general session room. Refreshments and beverages available in the general session room.

11:15 – 11:45 am – Student Lightning Talks Session 1

Moderated by Aurora Toennisson (NC Space Grant Alumni), PhD Candidate, NC State University and member of the NC Space Grant Advisory Board 

Speakers:

  • Alden Contreras, NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow – NC A&T State University
  • Duncan Maclean, NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow – UNC Chapel Hill
  • Megan Geesin, NC Sea/Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow – East Carolina University
  • L. Brooke Turner, NASA Internship Awardee at Goddard Space Flight Center (2023 & 2024) – NC State University
  • Morgan Heckman, NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow – Duke University

11:45 am – 1:00 pm – Luncheon and Research Presentation

Introduction by Rachel Smith, Head, Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab; Curator, Meteorites – North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Eileen Stansbery, Chief Scientist and Chief of the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division – NASA Johnson Space Center

1:10 – 1:55 pm – Student Poster Session 2 and Student Team Showcase

Even-numbered posters presented

1:55 – 2:05 pm – Networking Break

Transition back to the general session room. Refreshments and beverages available in the general session room.

2:05 – 2:35 pm – Student Lightning Talks Session 2

Moderated by Olivia Scott (NC Space Grant Alumni), Aerospace Structural Engineer at Collier Aerospace and member of the NC Space Grant Advisory Board

Speakers:

  • Patrick Haughey, NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow – NC State University
  • Brian Cook, NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow – UNC Chapel Hill
  • Caleb Knight, NASA Internship Award at Kennedy Space Center (2024) – Lenoir-Rhyne University & The University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Samantha Holmes, NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow – Duke University
  • Peggy Mullin, NC Sea/Space Graduate Research Fellow – UNC Chapel Hill

2:35 – 2:55 pm – MENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT
Growing Through Shared Discovery: The Importance of Undergraduate Research in Space Biology

Introduction by Joseph Knight, Executive Director, Hands On! Children’s Museum and member of the NC Space Grant Advisory Board

Speakers:

  • Rafael Loureiro, Associate Professor, Botany and Plant Physiology – Winston-Salem State University
  • A’nya Buckner, NC Space Grant Undergraduate Research Scholar (2024-2025) and STEM Bridge Scholar (2023-2024) – Winston-Salem State University
  • Sarah Lang, NC Space Grant Undergraduate Research Scholar (2023-2024) and STEM Bridge Scholar (2022-2023) – Winston-Salem State University

2:55 pm – Closing Remarks

Susan White, Director, North Carolina Space Grant

3:15 – 4:00 pm – Afternoon Student Workshop: Effective Communication in the STEM Workforce

Speaker: 

  • Michael Rice, Senior Science Writer – KBR International