Agenda

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

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

Susan White, Director, North Carolina Space Grant

Kimberly Brush, Chief of Staff, NASA Langley Research Center

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.

Refreshments and beverages available in the general session room.

Odd-numbered posters presented

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

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

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

Even-numbered posters presented

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

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

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

Susan White, Director, North Carolina Space Grant

Speaker: 

• Michael Rice, Senior Science Writer – KBR International