Women and Mars Conference

On November 9-10, 2011, Explore Mars, Inc. will be presenting the Women and Mars Conference at the Jack Morton Auditorium at George Washington University in Washington, DC.

 
In addition, we have arranged a tour of the Lockheed Martin Space Experience Center in Crystal City, VA on November 8 at 6pm. This tour has a limited capacity. If you are registered for the Women and Mars Conference and would like to attend this tour, please RSVP at info@exploremars.org.
 
Conference Agenda

November 8, 2011

6:00pm:  Tour of Lockheed Martin Space Experience Center - This tour is limited to 50 people.  If are registered for the Women and Mars Conference and would like to attend, please RSVP at info@exploremars.org

November 9, 2011

8:00-9:00:  Registration and Breakfast

9:00-9:10: Introduction: Artemis Westenberg (President, Explore Mars, Inc.)

9:10-10:00: Keynote: Catherine "Cady" Coleman (NASA, Astronaut)

10:00-11:30: Panel - Why have so many women become involved/interested in Mars exploration?

Rebecca Keiser (NASA, Associate Deputy Administrator for Policy Integration)  - Moderator

Linda Billings (Research Professor, School of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University)

Tiffany Montague (Google, Space Projects)

Susan Niebur (Mission Consultant, Niebur Consulting; Founder, Women in Planetary Science)

Colleen Hartman (NASA, Assistant Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate)

Lunch

1:00-2:30: Panel - How can “Mars women” help to advance STEM education for young women/reach non-traditional audiences? 

Michelle Viotti  (NASA, Manager for NASA's Mars Public Engagement Program) - Moderator

Penelope Boston (Director, Cave and Karst Studies Program; Prof. Earth and Environmental Sciences Dept. New Mexico Tech; Associate Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute)

Mary Liscombe (Director, Christa McAuliffe Center and Challenger Learning Center; Framingham State University)

Shelley Canright (NASA, Director of Elementary, Secondary, and eEducation)

Artemis Westenberg (President, Explore Mars, Inc)

Nancy Conrad (Founder, The Conrad Foundation)

2:30- 4:00: Panel 3: Getting to Mars

Sandy Coleman (Director, NASA Exploration Programs; ATK, Washington Operations)

Linda Karanian (Lockheed Martin, Director of Human Space Flight Program Operations, Washington Office)

Virginia A. Barnes (United Space Alliance, President and CEO)

Caryn Schenewerk (Space X; Director, Government Affairs)

Saralyn Mark (NASA, Physician Consultant/Advisor, IHA/Chief Health and Medical Office)

Joy Bryant (Vice President/ISS Program Manager, Boeing Space, Defense, and Security)

Jeanne Becker (Executive Director, Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS)

4:00 PM: Afternoon Speaker  - Nancy Conrad (Founder, The Conrad Foundation)

5:00-6:00: Reception

November 10, 2011

7:30-8:30 – Registration and Breakfast

8:30-10:00: Space Policy Panel

Marcia Smith (Founder and Editor, SpacePolicyOnline.com) - Moderator

Patti Grace Smith (Principal Consultant, Patti Grace Smith Consulting, LLC)

Stephanie Bednarek (SpaceX, Government Affairs Specialist)

Pascale Ehrenfreund (Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs, Space Policy Institute, The Elliott School of International Affairs; The George Washington University)

Leslee Gilbert (Staff Director of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee)

Rebecca Keiser (NASA, Associate Deputy Administrator for Policy Integration)

10:00-11:30: Panel - Mars Science panel

Marc Kaufman (The Washington Post) - Moderator

Lisa May (Science Mission Directorate, NASA)

Pamela Conrad (Deputy Principal Investigator, Sample Analysis at Mars, Mars Science Laboratory; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

Deborah Bass (2018 Joint Mars Rover Science Systems Engineer; Mars Exploration Program Strategic Planning; Technical Group Supervisor, Science System Engineering; JPL, NASA)

Penelope Boston (Director, Cave and Karst Studies Program; Prof. Earth and Environmental Sciences Dept. New Mexico Tech;  Associate Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute)

11:30-12:30 – Wrap-up Speaker - Simonetta DiPippo (Special Advisor to the ESA Director General, European Space Agency; President and Co-founder of Women in Aerospace Europe)

12:30-2:00: Lunch

2:00-4:00:  Breakout/Brainstorming Sessions

- STEM Education Workshop -  Chris Carberry and Artemis Westenberg (Session Chairs)

- Science and Technology - Lisa May (Session Chair)

- Policy and Advocacy - Linda Billing (Session Chair)