Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue: Not Afraid to Go First

03-10-2025

 

The College of Science in combination with the College of Engineering held the first of many collaborative conventions at Purdue University to help the world boldly explore the vast universe around us. We call "dibs" in being the first to go, and we plan to stay the course. At Purdue, we'd like to play a part in every mission. The Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue convention was set up to help faculty and staff collaborate on our next giant leaps.

This event hosted on-campus speakers as well as industry professionals.  Each gave talks to faculty, staff and students of Purdue University.  Our featured speakers included:

Keynote Speaker Laurie Leshin, Director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. Leshin has served as the Director of JPL since May 2022, bringing extensive leadership experience in academia, government and space science. A distinguished geochemist and space scientist, she has held several high-profile positions throughout her career, including senior leadership roles at NASA.

Tiffany Morgan, Director, NASA Mars Exploration Program

Chris D'Souza, Technical Discipline Lead for Human Spaceflight, NASA

Andrew Feustel, astronaut, geophysicist and Purdue Presidential Ambassador

 

These talks were recorded so that they could be revisited after the event on February 10, 2025 to keep the collaborative momentum going. Purdue’s legacy in space exploration is built on collaboration, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of discovery. Below are links to the recorded sessions from the symposium.

Morning Session

• Morning Session Playlist 
• Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue - Opening Remarks - Lucy Flesch, Frederick L. Hovde Dean of the College of Science
• Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue - NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Laurie Leshin, Director of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue - Introduction to External Speaker Session - Roger Wiens, Professor, EAPS
• The Mars Exploration Program and Universities - Tiffany Morgan, Deputy Director, NASA Mars Exploration Program  
• The Human Exploration Program and Universities - Chris D'Souza, Technical Discipline Lead for Human Spaceflight, NASA
• Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue - Panel on the Robotic Exploration of Space - Laurie Leshin, Tiffany Morgan, and Chris D.Souza - Moderated by Mariana Blanco-Rojas, PhD Student, EAPS

Afternoon Session

• Afternoon Session Playlist
• Space Exploration through Physical Spacecraft Design - Timothée Pourpoint, Professor, AAE
• Space Exploration through Mission Design - Ken Oguri, Assistant Professor, AAE
• Bioastronautics at Purdue - Marshall Porterfield, Professor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
• Astrophysics at Purdue - Danny Milisavljevic, Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy
• Mechanical Engineering and Space Exploration at Purdue - Steven Son, Alfred J. McAllister Professor, Mechanical Engineering
• Planetary Exploration through Spacecraft Observations - Briony Horgan, Professor, EAPS
• Planetary Exploration in the Laboratory - Kelsey Prissel, Assistant Professor, EAPS
• Biology and Space at Purdue - Sergio Munoz-Gomez, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
• Civil Engineering and Space Exploration at Purdue - Shirley Dyke, Donald A. and Patricia A. Coates Professor of Innovation in Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Civil Engineering
• Panel on the Human Exploration of Space - Drew Feustel, Astronaut, geophysicist, Purdue alumnus and Purdue Presidential Ambassador - Moderated by Michelle Thompson, Associate Professor, EAPS

This symposium brought together leading experts from across disciplines to strengthen the connections that drive groundbreaking advancements. From scientific mission planning to sustainable human exploration and the technologies that make it all possible, this event is designed to position Purdue at the forefront of the next era of space exploration.

“Purdue University is considered the Cradle of Astronauts. Boilermakers have a long and storied history with space exploration and research. Alumni from Purdue have been among the few humans to venture out into space and our research has helped support those missions,” said Lucy Flesch, Frederick L. Hovde Dean, College of Science.

The symposium featured an engaging lineup of speakers addressing a wide array of critical topics in space exploration, with a focus on Mars and both human and robotic exploration. These discussions provided valuable insights into the current state of space research and the groundbreaking work that lies ahead. A special event during lunch, "Leading Women Toward Space Careers," highlighted the invaluable contributions of women in the field of space exploration, offering inspiration and encouragement for future generations.

By uniting researchers, engineers, and visionaries, the symposium fosters conversations that bridge disciplines and spark new ideas. As emerging opportunities in space exploration continue to evolve, Purdue is committed to shaping the future through interdisciplinary partnerships and pioneering solutions. This gathering is more than a meeting of minds—it’s a launchpad for the next giant leaps.

To learn more and see photos from this event, visit our Exposure Gallery.