Space Day: Forging Stronger Ties

Join UC San Diego and top space industry leaders for an afternoon of idea exchange and collaboration - all followed by a star-studded networking mixer! This event will bring together faculty, industry leaders, government partners, and investors that are shaping the next era of space economy - from life science to dual-use technologies and space infrastructure.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, researcher, or space enthusiast - this Space Day Forum this is your chance to connect with the people and ideas defining the next era of space innovation, exploration and commercialization.

Thank you to our proud Event Sponsors - Viasat and Quartus Engineering!

⏰👉 This is an in-person event!Due to requests, we are extending the deadline to register to Tuesday, 11/18/25 at 9 am- please reserve your spot today!

What to Expect/Agenda:

1:30 p.m. | Registration (Coffee and Tea)

2:00 p.m. | Welcome (15 minutes total)

• Corinne Peek-Asa, Ph.D. - Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation (Welcome, UCSD Research and Innovation Leadership, Event’s Theme and Goals)
• Paul Roben, Ph.D - Associate Vice Chancellor for OIC, (Introduce Space Innovation + Keynote Speaker)

2:15 p.m. | Keynote Speaker Followed by Fireside Chat (30 minutes total)

2:45 p.m. | Faculty Lightning Talks with Q/A - x3 (10 minutes each)

• Aaron Rosengren, Ph.D. – Leader in space situational awareness and astrodynamics, with over 30 peer-reviewed journal publications and 110 conference papers and abstracts. Former member of the EU Asteroid and Space Debris Network, Stardust, working for two years at the Italian National Research Council.
• John D. Evans, Ph.D. - Founder and CEO of ReflecTek, a spinout of Intellectual Ventures, DARPA, and former Professor at UC San Diego. Focuses on broadband direct-to-device satellite communications.
• Tania Moroimoto, Ph.D. - Leader in design and control of flexible and soft robots for unstructured, unknown environments. Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Head of Morimoto Lab, and part of UC San Diego Contextual Robotics Institute

3:15 p.m. | Roundtable Discussion: Industry, Government Partnerships (45 minutes)

• Matt Martinez - Vice President of Transformation at ViasatViasat is a global communications company. Matt is spearheading the strategic overhaul of Viasat’s government business, optimizing operations, improving efficiency, increasing competitiveness, and enhancing the delivery of mission critical, secure communications solutions across air, land, sea, cyber, and space. Previously, Matt spent 10 years at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) building and leading BCG's North American Space Industry business.
• Mary Shippy* - Head of Strategy Partnerships, SpaceWERX. SpaceWERX is the innovation arm of the United States Space Force (USSF).
• Karl Stedman - Founder and CEO of Pulse Space. Pulse Space is advancing next-generation power systems built for resilience and frontier applications.

• Maria Onorato - Associated Deputy Director for Industry Engagement and Development at the CA Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

In her role, Maria oversees foreign and domestic industry engagement, with the goal of facilitating job creation in California. Maria has served on the GO-Biz team in various capacities since 2019, including overseeing GO-Biz’s foreign direct investment activities and representing GO-Biz around the world.

• Moderator: Rachel Costello - Director of Innovating for National Security (i4NS), UC San Diego

4:00 p.m. | 20 Minute Break (Refreshments, Snacks)

4:20 p.m. | Panel: Backing the Bold: Funding Space Innovation and Commercialization

• Andrew Ermitano* – Deputy Chief of Space Ventures, SpaceWERX (Oversees a $500M portfolio accelerating Space Force capabilities including SBIR/STTR opportunities)
• Mela Louise Norman – Partner at New Vista Capital (focused on space and national security); Former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd James Austin III.
• Sabrina Steele, Executive Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications, The Aerospace Corporation (federally funded research and development center focused on advancing the nation’s space programs and capabilities for national security)
• Drew Busbee, MBA - Executive Director of Disruptive Technology Index (DTI). DTI has strategic partnerships with SpaceWERX, the State of California, and Los Angeles County's economic development arm to develop and scale funding and commercialization in the new space economy.
• Moderator: Greg Horowitt - Director of Innovation Design, UC San Diego

5:00 | Frontiers of Innovation: From In-Space Manufacturing to Space Medicine (30 minutes)

• Elizabeth Reynolds - Executive Advisor of Methuselah Foundation which focused on increasing awareness and resources for biotech innovators seeking to do research or manufacture in space. Previously, Elizabeth led the US business for Starburst Aerospace Accelerator.
• Michael Reily, MBA - Chief Strategy Officer at Varda Space Industries Michael Reilly is Chief Strategy Officer at Varda Space Industries, a company pioneering the manufacture of pharmaceuticals in orbit.
• Cat Jamieson, MD, Ph.D - Director of the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute and Deputy Director of Integrated Stem Cell Orbital Research (ISSCOR) Center where cutting-edge experiments are designed and aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Founder/CEO of Aspera Biomedicines.
• Moderator: Kiana Aran, Ph.D. - Professor of Bioengineering and Co-Director of Center for Technologies for Healthy Aging, UC San Diego

5:30 p.m. | Faculty Lightning Talks with Q/A - x2

• Alysson Muotri, Ph.D. –Director of the Sanford Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research (ISSCOR) Center head of the Muotri Lab that investigates brain development, evolution and neural disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorders.
• Kobi Koffler, Ph.D., MBA - Head of UCSD Laboratory of Neural Engineering and Founder of Auxillium Technologies (first company to successfully print medical devices aboard the International Space Station).

*Those marked with an asterisk are to be determined because of the government shutdown.

5:50 p.m. | Closing Remarks & Next Steps, Call to Action

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 pm| Networking Mixer (Appetizers, Refreshments)

Networking mixer to explore pathways to advance San Diego space technologies and talent through cross-campus collaborations and industry/government partnerships.

⏰👉This is a limited, in-person event. Deadline to register is 11/12/25 - please reserve your spot today!

Directions to the Design & Innovation Building

The event is located on the second floor (room 208) of the Design and Innovation Building (DIB). The entrances are located across from the Structural Materials and Engineering building or next to the UC San Diego Central Campus Station bus and trolley stop.

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MTS Trolley

The easiest way to get to the DIB is by taking the MTS trolley UC San Diego Blue Line and getting off at the UC San Diego Central Campus stop. The trolley stop is a short 1 minute walk to the DIB.

Parking

Public transportation is highly recommended as parking is limited on campus. If you plan to drive to campus, please give yourself plenty of time. You can download the ParkMobile app to pay for your space digitally once you find a spot.

• P506 - Pay and Display, Northside of the DIB
• P504 - Pay and Display, Northside of the DIB
• P510 - Pay and Display, Northside of the DIB *closest to the DIB*
• Gilman Parking Structure, Southwest side of the DIB