University of Arizona Center for Outreach and Collaboration, Washington, DC
October 12 – 13, 2022
The Beyond Earth Symposium was the inaugural annual forum hosted by the Beyond Earth Institute. The Symposium examined U.S. and international near-term policies that will best enable economically vibrant communities beyond Earth. Senior policy professionals from industry, academia and government gathered together and lean into the critical policy and legal issues that will help shape the future of the human presence beyond Earth.
Naren Shankar is the Executive Producer/Showrunner of the critically acclaimed television adaptation of the international best-seller science fiction novel series, The Expanse, an Amazon Prime Original Series from Alcon Television Studios. Naren spent eight seasons as a Writer-Executive Producer and Co- Showrunner of the most-watched show in the world, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Prior to CSI, Naren was an Executive Producer on the SyFy Channel cult hit series Farscape for The Jim Henson Company, and spent three seasons as a writer-producer on Showtime’s The Outer Limits. Naren began his career as a writer and science consultant for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he holds a PhD in Applied Physics & Electrical Engineering from Cornell University.
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Kathryn Lueders serves as the associate administrator of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), overseeing the International Space Station (ISS), the Commercial LEO Development Program, Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN), Launch Services Program (LSP), Human Spaceflight Capabilities, and operations of crewed Artemis missions. She previously served as the first female associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, managing the agency’s full human spaceflight portfolio. Before joining NASA Headquarters, Lueders was the manager of the Commercial Crew Program (CCP) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. She began her NASA career in 1992 at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, where she was the Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System and Reaction Control Systems Depot manager. Lueders holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration finance from the University of New Mexico and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering from New Mexico State University.
Policy Report
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Courtney Stadd is Founder/President, Capitol Alliance Solutions, LLC, a Washington, DC based management consulting firm whose clients include a wide range of pioneering commercial space actors. For nearly 40 years, Stadd’s career path has been a mix of senior government leadership and corporate executive jobs – primarily focused on encouraging the removal of policy and regulatory barriers to the emergence of a competitive American-led commercial space marketplace. Courtney has held multiple senior positions at the US Department of Commerce, the US Department of Transportation, the White House, and worked directly for three NASA Administrators, including as Chief of Staff/White House Liaison.
Ezinne Uzo-Okoro determines civil and commercial space policy priorities for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Her portfolio includes Orbital Debris, In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM), Earth Observations, Space Weather, Aeronautics, and Planetary Protection. In 17 years at NASA, she contributed to over 60 missions and programs – as an engineer, technical expert, manager and executive – in earth observations, planetary science, heliophysics, astrophysics, human exploration, and space communications, which represent $9.2B in total program value. She holds an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; master’s degrees in Systems Engineering, Space Robotics, and Science & Technology Policy from Johns Hopkins University, MIT, and Harvard University, respectively; and a PhD in Space Systems from MIT, on the robotic assembly of satellites. Her immigration story is profiled in President George W. Bush’s book, ‘Out of Many, One’.
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Dan Oltrogge is the Director of the Center for Space Standards and Innovation, Director of Integrated Operations and space policy expert at the Commercial Space Operations Center at COMSPOC Corporation, program manager of the Space Data Center, founder and administrator of the Space Safety Coalition, U.S. Head of Delegation to ISO TC20/SC14, academician of the International Academy of Astronautics, technical author, and the author of numerous international space standards and best practices.
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Johann-Dietrich “Jan” Wörner is President of Germany’s National Academy of Science and Engineering. From 2015-2021, he was Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA). He chaired the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) from 2007 to 2015, and served as President of TU Darmstadt from 1995 to 2007. A civil engineer by training, Jan Wörner was previously Professor, Head of the Test Research Institute, and then Dean of Civil Engineering at TU Darmstadt. Jan holds numerous awards, including honorary degrees from the State University of New York, Technical University of Moldova, Politehnica University of Bucharest, Saint Petersburg State University of Economics, École Centrale de Lyon, and Mongolian Technical University. He has received the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Grand Cross 1st class) and is a Knight of the French Légion d’Honneur.
Dr. Scott Pace rejoined the faculty of the Elliott School of International Affairs in 2021 after serving as Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary of the National Space Council from 2017-2020. He previously served as the Associate Administrator for Program Analysis and Evaluation at NASA from 2005-2008 and Deputy Chief of Staff for the NASA Administrator from 2002-2003. Prior to NASA, he was the Assistant Director for Space and Aeronautics in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. From 1993-2000, he worked for the RAND Corporation’s Science and Technology Policy Institute, and from 1990-1993, he served as the Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Office of Space Commerce, in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Harvey Mudd College in 1980; Master’s degrees in Aeronautics & Astronautics and Technology & Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1982; and a Doctorate in Policy Analysis from the RAND Graduate School in 1989.
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Ken Hodgkins is a globally recognized strategic thought-leader on international space policy and law and the application of the Outer Space Treaties to new commercial ventures. Throughout his 40 years in government service, Mr. Hodgkins has been a driving force for multilateral and bilateral initiatives focused on improving transparency, predictability, interoperability, resiliency and the safe and responsible use of space. Mr. Hodgkins brings a unique perspective to international space endeavors having dealt with every aspect of the use of outer space at the diplomatic and agency levels for economic growth, national security, scientific discovery, foreign policy and improving the quality of life for the global community.
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Bhavya Lal, as the Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy within the Office of the NASA Administrator, is responsible for providing evidence-driven advice to NASA leadership on internal and external policy issues, strategic planning, and technology investments. She also provides executive leadership and direction to the newly created Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy within the office of the administrator. Dr. Lal is currently the acting chief technologist of NASA, the first woman to hold the position in NASA’s 60+ year history. Dr. Lal holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a second master’s from MIT’s Technology and Policy Program, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Public Administration from George Washington University. She is a member of both the nuclear engineering and public policy and public administration honor societies and has published more than 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings.
Salvatore T. “Tory” Bruno is the president and chief executive officer for United Launch Alliance (ULA). In this role, Bruno serves as the principal strategic leader of the organization and oversees all business management and operations. Prior to joining ULA, he served as the vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Strategic and Missile Defense Systems. He also managed the corporation’s responsibilities in Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Management Limited, a joint venture that produces and safely maintains the U.K.’s nuclear weapons. Bruno holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Polytechnic State University, in San Luis Obispo, California, and has completed graduate courses and management programs at Harvard University, Santa Clara University, the Wye River Institute, San Jose State University and the Defense Acquisition University.
Laura Forczyk (Moderator) VP of Research and Analytics, Beyond Earth Institute
Paul Stimers, Partner, K&L Gates
Vishnu Reddy, Associate Professor, University of Arizona Lunar & Planetary Laboratory
John Mankins, Vice President, Moon Village Association
Angeliki Kapoglou, Researcher, European Space Agency
