Program
Space Education & Strategic Applications Conference:
Focusing the Telescope
Virtual Meeting
Thursday and Friday, September 23-24, 2021 (EDT)
Instructions:
1. Please register here. The agenda can be viewed here. There are two tabs at the top for each day. Note we'll have up to 3 concurrent panels at most times, and this is indicated by the Room number (1-3) next to the time of each session.
2. All the sessions will be livestreamed via Zoom, and the links will be posted in the agenda, under the title and time of each session, a few days prior to the event. There will be a separate livestream link per each session. You must have Zoom installed in your device in order to watch the event.
3. In addition to Zoom we have a conference app, powered by Whova, and which can be downloaded from your app store (Whova app). Here is a guide on how to use it: https://whova.com/pages/whova-app-user-guide/. A web-based version is also available here: https://sesa2021.events.whova.com/sign_up. Although we encourage you to use it, it is not required; only Zoom is required to watch the event.
4. To use either the mobile or the web-based app, you will need to sign up with Whova first. Make sure you are using the same e-mail address you used to register.
5. Use the app to be more productive at the conference, e.g. browse event brochure and set a personalized schedule, as well as create a profile with your bio and photo. You can also network with other speakers and attendees, before, during, and after the event.
6. The event is free and open to the public! Do feel free to share the invitation to register among your networks. Everyone is welcome!
7. Should you have any questions, please contact Daniel Gutierrez, PSO Executive Director, at
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8. Full papers may be submitted for consideration to the Space Education & Strategic Applications journal. To submit a full paper for the journal, please contact
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About:
The Space Education & Strategic Applications Conference: Focusing The Telescope, co-organized by the American Public University System and the Policy Studies Organization brings together influencers, innovators, groundbreakers, and decision-makers within all areas of the space community: astronauts, astrobiologists, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, educators, associations, students, educators, and policy makers. We aim to promote multidisciplinary conversations about issues related to both military and civilian space, at the intersection between science, technology, education, and policy.
Presenters and attendees will have many opportunities to share current findings, identify challenges and share solutions through rich discussions and networking.
SESA 2020 - Program and Videos
Space Education and Strategic Applications Conference
Thursday and Friday October 15-16, 2020 (EST)
See full program, photos, bios, and videos here
October 15
Welcome and Introductions
Vernon C. Smith, Provost, American Public University System
Session 1
Space Education
American Public University System's Position and Commitment to Space Education
Moderator: Dr. Michael Ard, Program Director for Intelligence Studies and Associate Professor, American Public University System
Dr. Wally Boston, President Emeritus, American Public University System
Dr. Vernon C. Smith, Provost, American Public University System
Dr. J.D. Polk, American Public University System Board of Trustees Member, Senior Medical Officer, NASA
Dr. Ed Albin, Program Director of Space Studies, School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, American Public University System
Dr. Ahmed Naumaan, Dean, School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, American Public University System
Dr. Mark Riccardi, Dean, School of Security and Global Studies, American Public University System
Session 2
Introduction: Melissa Layne, AVP Research and Innovation, American Public University System
An Interconnected Cosmic Biosphere
Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe, Honorary Professor and Director of the Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology, University of Buckingham
Space Entrepreneurship
A Space Economy: Space Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century
Dr. Gary Deel, Faculty Director for School of Business, American Public University System
Session 3
Space Policy & Law
Assessment of the Utility of a Government Strategic Investment Fund for Space
Sara A. Carioscia, Johns Hopkins University
U.S. Navy Lt. Jordan Foley, Georgetown University Law Center
National Space Policy: International Comparison of Policy and the 'Gray' Area
Larissa Beavers, American Military University
Session 4
Space Engineering & Technology
Modeling and Simulation of a Long-Wave Infrared Polarimetric Sensor for Space Object Detection and Characterization
Kevin Pohl, Aerospace Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Session 5
Space Ethics
Organized by the Journal of Science Policy & Governance
Introduction: Adriana Bankston, Chief Outreach Officer, Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG)
Moderator: Sara Crandall, Astronomy and astrophysics Ph.D. student, University of Santa Cruz & JSPG Associate Editor @SaraRCran
Panelists:
George Profitiliotis, PhD Candidate, National Technical University of Athens, Greece & Foresight Expert, UNESCO Chair on Futures Research in FORTH/PRAXI
Therese Jones, Senior Director of Policy, Satellite Industry Association
Chris Beauregard, Policy Advisor, National Space Council, Executive Office of the President
Session 6
Organized by the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space
Moderator: Dave Webb, Chair for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in the UK, VP of the International Peace Bureau, and patron of Scientists for Global Responsibility.
Bruce Gagnon, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space
Karl Grossman, State University of New York/College of Old Westbury
Aruna Kammila, Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, India
Tamara Lorincz, Ph.D. candidate in Global Governance at the Balsillie School for International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University
Session 7
United States Space Port Authority, America's Secure, Sustainable, and Efficient Gateway to Outer Space
Tim Chrisman, Founder, Executive Director of the Foundation For The Future
Tim Chrisman, Founder, Executive Director of the Foundation For The Future
Michael Fitzgerald, Founder, Chief Architect, Galactic Harbour Associates
Michael Laine, Chief Strategic Officer of LiftPort Group
Allyssa Carson, Astronaut in Training with Possum Academy, Global Speaker, Future Mars Walker
October 16
Welcome and Introductions
Vernon C. Smith, Provost, American Public University System
Session 1
Space Military/Security
Why “DHS Should Consider Space as a Distinct Critical Infrastructure Node”
Dr. Mark T. Peters II, USAF, Retired
Dr. Bert Chapman, Professor of Library Science, Purdue University
Will a Global Reliance on Space Technology Inevitably Lead the United States to Conflict?
Ivàn Gulmesoff, MAS Aeronautical Science & Space Studies, American Public University System
Session 2
Roundtables
Partnerships: Inviting Space Studies Students, Faculty, Universities, Industry, Military, and Government to the Table
Sara A. Carioscia, Johns Hopkins UniversityRichard Howard, American Public University System
Session 3
Space Human Factors
Diets for Long-term Astronauts or Settlers
Dr. Gerald McLaughlin
Dr. Robert H. Lustig, Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, and the Institute for Health Policy Studies at University of California, San Francisco, and Adjunct Professor of Research at Touro University-California
William Gardiner, Director of Analytech Laboratory, Chair for NSS Space Health and Medicine Committee
Dr. Susan Jewell, Mars-Moon Astronautics Academy & Research Science (MMAARS, Inc)
Session 4
Michelle Hanlon, Associate Director of the National Center for Air and Space Law, University of Mississippi School of Law, and President and Co-Founder, For All Moonkind
Dr. John D. Rummel, Senior Scientist, SETI Institute
Dr. Greg Autry, Assistant Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship, University of Southern California, and International Space University Center for Space Entrepreneurship, Florida Institute of Technology
Session 5
Space Sciences
Synthetic Tracking of Near Earth and Main Belt Minor Planets
Ed Albin, Program Director of Space Studies, American Public University System
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Current State and Perspectives
Dmitry Bizyaev, Apache Point Observatory
James Webb Space Telescope: Preparing for Launch in a Pandemic
Carl Starr, JWST Missions Operations Manager, NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center
Session 6
Space Education
APUS Observatory and Student Engagement
Kristen Miller, Associate Professor of Space Studies, American Public University System
Space Education and Technology
Mars Exploration Rovers: The Excellent Adventures of Curiosity, NASA's Mars Exploration Program
Todd Barber, Senior Propulsion Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Space Sustainability: The Role of the United Nations
Peter Martinez, Secure World Foundation
Closing Remarks and Announcements
Vernon C. Smith, Provost, American Public University System
Final Program
Middle East Dialogue
Friday, March 19, 2021 (Eastern Daylight Time)
Virtual Meeting*
*The event is being held via Zoom Webinars. The conference is free and open to the public, thanks to our sponsors. The full agenda with direct links to access all the sessions via Zoom are in the final program link above. You can also click on any of the speakers' names to see a brief bio. We ask that those attending register through the "Register Now" button below, so we can send you updates and links to recordings of all sessions after the event. For any questions, please contact Daniel Gutierrez, PSO Executive Director, at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ICC 2021 - Preliminary Program
Friday, November 5th, 2021, EST
Virtual Meeting
in cooperation with the French National Conservatory, Paris,
and American Public University System
Preliminary List of Spakers
(updated as proposals are received)
Opening Plenary:
Krisis: Chaos, Pandemic, Cyber and Global Crime. A Time to Think and Act.
Alain Bauer
Professor of Criminology, Paris (France), New York, and Shanghai
Head of the Security, Defense, Intelligence, Criminology, Cyberthreats and Crisis Management Center at the National Conservatory for Arts and Crafts (PSD R3C CNAM)
Nicole Cain, American Public University System
Cid Goncalves Filho, Universidade FUMEC, Brazil
Stanley Araújo Pena, Captain, Military Police, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Charles E. “Chuck” MacLean, Metropolitan State University School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
Duane Benton, American Public University System
Chuck Russo, American Public University System
Michael Pittaro, American Public University System
Master Deputy Stephanie Kragger, HCSO BRU Practitioner, Homelessness and Behavioral Health
Master Deputy Tobias Smith, HCSO BRU Practitioner, Behavioral Health
Jeffrey Gardner, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (retired); American Public University System
Domingo Magliocca, Carabineri, Judicial Police Section, Public Prosecutor's Office, Italy
Terrance Coffie, New York University
Glenn Martin, Former President and Founder of JustLeadership USA
Asha Smith, Metropolitan Black Bar Association
Kirk "Jae" James, New York University
Councilwoman Adrienne Adams, New York City Councilmember
Rachel Weaver, Western Governors University
Mahmut Cengiz, George Mason University
John P. Sullivan, Lieutenant (Retired) Los Angeles Sheriff's Department; Instructor, Safe Communities Institute, University of Southern California
Nathan P. Jones, College of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University
Ronagh McQuigg, Queen's University, Belfast
Calvin Nobles, Harvard University, Belfer Center
Darrell Burrell, Florida Institute of Technology
Heather R. Karambelas, US Army Command and General Staff College
A. C. Chaves, São Paulo University
R. Campos, São Paulo University
J. Knoll, State University of New York
Jessica Fleming, LGPC, CCTP
SESA Presenter Images and Bios
Dr. Ed Albin holds the rank of Associate Professor / Program Director for the Department of Space Studies at the American Public University System, coordinating courses dedicated to aerospace, astronomy, earth science, and space policy. His passion is for planetary science, and has been involved in the field of Space Studies for more than 30 years.
Most of his career was spent at Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta as an instructor of astronomy. In that position, he presented planetarium programs, assisted in the direction of the facility's Zeiss planetarium and associated observatory's 36-inch reflecting telescope. Inspired by the Apollo Moon landings in the 1960’s - 70’s, he acquired a Master's degree in planetary science from Arizona State University, and a PhD in planetary geology at the University of Georgia. Much of his research interest is centered around the study of meteorites and impact craters, with special emphasis focused on the geology of the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. Finally, he holds a lifelong love for aviation, and is professionally trained as a commercial helicopter pilot.
Todd Barber is a NASA JPL senior propulsion engineer, wrapping up two decades as lead propulsion engineer on the Cassini mission to Saturn, following part-time work on the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission, Deep Impact mission, and the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, which landed the large rover Curiosity on the red planet on August 5th, 2012. Cassini was launched on October 15, 1997 on its two-billion-mile, seven-year journey to the ringed planet. It “took the plunge” into Saturn’s atmosphere in 2017 after thirteen years in orbit around Saturn. The MER team launched twin rovers to the red planet in June and July of 2003, and Spirit and Opportunity lasted six years and fourteen years, respectively, into their three-month missions. Todd also worked as the lead impactor propulsion engineer on Deep Impact, which successfully crashed into Comet Tempel-1 on Independence Day, 2005, at twenty-three-thousand miles per hour. 
Todd recently completed working on the Dawn mission, an ion propulsion mission to the two largest main-belt asteroids, Vesta and Ceres. He also recently began supporting the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission and the Mars2020 project. Much to Todd’s delight, he is now supporting the Voyager mission as well, more than forty years after launch.
Todd recently completed working on the Dawn mission, an ion propulsion mission to the two largest main-belt asteroids, Vesta and Ceres. He also recently began supporting the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission and the Mars2020 project. Much to Todd’s delight, he is now supporting the Voyager mission as well, more than forty years after launch.Mr. Barber worked on the Galileo project for over seven years and his primary responsibility was getting Galileo into Jupiter orbit on December 7, 1995. Todd also worked part-time on the Space Infra-Red Telescope Facility (SIRTF) mission and on the Stardust mission, as well as the Mars Sample Return mission and a Mars airplane study. Todd received NASA's Exceptional Achievement Award in 1996 for his work on Galileo. In 2018, Mr. Barber was also honored to receive NASA’s Exceptional Public Service Medal for heading up Cassini’s propulsion team for nearly two decades.
Mr. Barber is a native of Wichita, Kansas, and attended MIT between 1984 and 1990, obtaining BS and MS degrees in aerospace engineering, with a humanities concentration in music. He is also a composer of church choral music, with two pieces published to date. His hobbies include singing charitably and professionally, playing the piano, snagging degree confluences (exact integer latitude/longitude intersections), visiting all the U.S. tri-state corners and national parks, playing basketball (though it’s been a while), and amateur astronomy.
Dr. Wally Boston, currently serves as President Emeritus for the American Public University System. Dr. Boston had previously served as president from 2004 to 2016, and from September 2017 through August 2020. In addition, Dr. Boston served as CEO and as a director of American Public Education, Inc. (APEI), the parent company of American Public University System (APUS), from 2004 through September 2019. Dr. Boston led APEI when it went public with its Initial Public Offering on Nasdaq in 2007, on two successful secondary stock offerings in 2007 and 2008, and during its 2013 acquisition of Hondros College of Nursing. He led the company at a time when it was ranked repeatedly in the top ten “America's Best Small Public Companies” by Forbes (#9 in 2009; #3 in 2010; #2 in 2011; #3 in 2012). Boston earned an AB in History from Duke University with minors in English and German, an MBA in Marketing and Accounting from Tulane University, and EdD in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of business administration degree from the APUS Board of Trustees in 2008. In June 2016, he was recognized as the inaugural recipient of his namesake Leadership Award. In August 2020, he was appointed as a Trustee Emeritus of APUS after his retirement as president.
Sara A. Carioscia worked as a Science Policy Fellow at the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI), a federally-funded research and development center that supports Executive Branch agencies such as NASA. At STPI, her work included topics such as manned space exploration, space situational awareness (SSA) and space traffic management (STM), and export controls on space technologies. She received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and is currently a PhD student at Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Bert Chapman is Professor of Library Science and Government Information, History, and Political Science Librarian at Purdue University. He received his BA in history and political science from Taylor University, an MA in history from the University of Toledo, and an MSLS. in Library Science at the University of Kentucky. Prior to working at Purdue, he was a librarian at Lamar University. His research interests include government and scholarly literature on national and international security, his writings include six books such as Global Defense Procurement and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019), and articles in Astropolitics, Journal of Advanced Military Studies (JAMS) Security Challenges, Space Policy, and other venues.
Dr. Gary Deel is an accomplished polymath with a passion for development and a drive for intellectual challenge. He holds AS degrees in Hospitality and Culinary Arts from Valencia College, AS, BS, and MS degrees in Space Studies from American Public University (APUS), BS and MS degrees in Hospitality Management from the University of Central Florida (UCF), a JD in Law from Florida A&M University (FAMU), and a PhD in Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). Dr. Deel has developed and taught courses in business, management, hospitality, leadership and ethics, sales and marketing, professionalism, law, human resources, engineering, and other areas. He currently serves as faculty director for the APUS School of Business where he oversees a team of 100+ faculty who teach courses in transportation and logistics, supply chain dynamics, defense contract management, finance, accounting, analytics, and entrepreneurship. He has authored more than 250 articles on various subjects including aerospace and astronomy, business, law, hospitality, ethics, philosophy, medicine, teaching and learning, and others. In addition, Deel also hosts an American Public University System-sponsored weekly podcast called Intellectible on topics such as space exploration, legal news, hospitality industry trends, and more.
Maria Demaree is Vice President and General Manager, Mission Solutions, Lockheed Martin Space for Lockheed Martin Corporation. In this capacity, she is responsible for approximately 4,400 employees and an annual sales base of over $1.5B in support of government defense and intelligence agencies. Mission Solutions develops, delivers, and operates solutions mission critical including development of innovative enterprise, cloud and application-based solutions for mission management, command and control, collection orchestration and tasking, processing, and data analytics, along with premier operations and sustainment of space-based programs.
Previously, Ms. Demaree was Vice President of Engineering, Mission Systems and Operations, for Lockheed Martin Corporation’s Space Systems Company. In that role, she was responsible for matrix management and leadership of 5,000 engineers, cyber technologists, mission operators and software engineers. Her team engaged in a range of programs from satellite ground systems and flight software to detailed mission analytics and operations from January 2016 to June 2018.
She previously served as Engineering and Technology Director of Mission Systems, for Lockheed Martin Corporation’s Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS). In that role, she was responsible for all aspects of leading the Mission Systems Capabilities organization of 3,500 software engineers from March 2014 to December 2015. Additionally, Maria served in Lockheed Martin Corporation’s Enterprise Business Services from August 2011 to March 2014. As Director of Enterprise Desktop Services, she was responsible for the Lockheed Martin Service Desk, Unified Communications (E-mail, Mobility Services and Webcasting); Desktop Services and SharePoint implementation. Her team included 700+ matrixed employees with an annual budget of $90M.
Throughout her career, Ms. Demaree has led several critical initiatives for Lockheed Martin Corporation, including the LM corporation mobile transformation from Blackberry to iPhone; key member of the leadership team turning Army Global Command and Control system program from red to green; Vice President of Engineering providing leadership of IS&GS team of 4,100 employees transitioning into LM Space.
Ms. Demaree graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, and University of Pennsylvania with a Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering.
Ms. Demaree serves on the Lockheed Martin Executive Inclusion Council, the Co-Chair of the Women Impact Network (WIN Forum 2019), serves on the Zeta Board of Directors, is a March of Dimes Heroine in Technology Lifetime Achievement award recipient, and was named to the 2018 FedScoop Top Women in Tech.
Lieutenant Jordan Foley is a Naval Officer in the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps. In 2012, he graduated at the top of his class for Military Order of Merit from the United States Naval Academy. Following graduation, Jordan was assigned to MIT Lincoln Laboratory's Space Systems Analysis group. He earned two Master of Science degrees from MIT and published his thesis titled, "Strategy for International Cooperation in Planning the Chinese Space Station." As a fluent Mandarin speaker, he personally translated hundreds of pages of Chinese space doctrine to produce this research. He then qualified as a Navy Space Cadre Operations Officer and commenced nuclear power training where he began his tour as a Submarine Officer. Jordan served on the Los Angeles Class fast-attack submarine USS Annapolis as the Communications Officer and Reactor Control Assistant. After four years as a nuclear submariner, he was accepted into the Navy JAG Corps and is currently finishing his law degree at Georgetown. Jordan has designed training for the Navy JAG Corps on space operations and worked with the White House National Space Council. Jordan comes from a family of high school teachers in the Pittsburgh, PA area and is dedicated to educating national security lawyers working in space law.
Bruce Gagnon is the Secretary/Coordinator of the GN. He has been working on space issues for the past 30 years and helped create the GN in 1992. His book, called "Come Together Right Now: Organizing Stories from a Fading Empire", was republished in 2008. For 15 years he coordinated the Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice. He was trained as an organizer by the United Farmworkers Union and is also a member of Veterans for Peace.
Professor Karl Grossman is a full professor of journalism at the State University of New York/College of Old Westbury on Long Island, N.Y. Karl is a cofounder of the GN and regularly writes about plans to launch nuclear power into space. His most recent book is entitled “Weapons in Space” and he has produced
Ivàn Gulmesoff is a current Global Security doctoral student at American Military University and a 2014 alumnus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He holds a Master’s of Science degree in Aeronautics with a dual specialization in Aviation/Aerospace Management and Space Studies. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1998, with a passion for aeronautics and eagerness to excel in the United States Navy. To this day, he continues to have the same passion. He has been stationed in Rota, Spain, and Atsugi, Japan, as well as multiple locations on the east and west coasts of the United States. He’s worked in intermediate and organizational aviation maintenance levels, primarily with the F/A-18 and P-3 Orion aircraft. He has completed seven deployments to the Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh Fleet areas of operations. Today, he is an Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer, currently assigned to an F/A-18 squadron. His research interests have expanded over the years to include global security, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and space weaponization.
Michelle Hanlon is co-director of the Air and Space Law Program and instructor of aviation and space law at the University of Mississippi School of Law and its Center for Air and Space Law. She is also a co-founder and president of For All Moonkind, Inc., a nonprofit corporation that is the only organization in the world focused on protecting human cultural heritage in outer space. For All Moonkind has been recognized by the United Nations as a Permanent Observer to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Michelle chairs the International Committee of the National Space Society and is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Space Law, the world’s oldest law journal dedicated to the legal problems arising out of human activities in outer space.
Dr. Aruna Kammila obtained her PhD from Andhra University, her thesis title was “Cyber Wafare vis-a-vis International Humanitarian Law”. For her Master’s degree she specialized in Public International Law and International Criminal Law at the University of Greenwich, London, UK and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Cyber Laws and Intellectual Property Rights from the University of Hyderabad. Currently she teaches Maritime Law, Air & Space Law, Public International Law and Cyber Laws at the School of Law, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Tamara Lorincz is a PhD candidate in Global Governance at the Balsillie School for International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University. She has a Master’s degree in International Politics & Security Studies from the University of Bradford, U.K. and a Law degree and MBA specializing in environmental law and management from Dalhousie University. Her research is on the climate and environmental impacts of the military. She is a member of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
Robert H. Lustig, M.D., M.S.L. is Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, and the Institute for Health Policy Studies at University of California, San Francisco, and Adjunct Professor of Research at Touro University-California. Dr. Lustig’s career has focused on the regulation of energy balance by the central nervous system, and the pathogenesis of chronic metabolic and mental health diseases. He is one of the leaders of the “anti-sugar” and “real food” movements to improve global health. Dr. Lustig is also the Chief Science Officer of Eat REAL, a non-profit dedicated to reversing childhood obesity and diabetes by impacting the global food supply. He is also on the Advisory Boards of Nutritious Minds, a London psychiatric consultancy; MindHealth360, a metabolic/mental health platform; and Simplex Health, a Philadelphia-based metabolically-based healthcare services company.
Dr. Lustig graduated from MIT in 1976, received his M.D. from Cornell University Medical College in 1980, completed his pediatric residency at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in 1983, and his clinical fellowship at UCSF in 1984. From there, he spent six years as a research associate in neuroendocrinology at The Rockefeller University. In 2013 he received his Masters in Studies of Law from UC Hastings College of the Law. Dr. Lustig is the author of 200 academic works, and of the popular books “Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease”, the “Fat Chance Cookbook”, and “The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of our Bodies and Brains”. A new book titled “METABOLICAL – the Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine” will be published in May, 2021.
Dr. Kristen Miller received her Bachelor's degree in physics from Brigham Young University and went on to receive her Master’s and Doctoral degrees, both in astrophysics, from the University of Maryland. Dr. Miller’s thesis focused on computational studies of magnetic field turbulence in protostellar disks. Dr. Miller has been teaching online since 2005 and has been teaching for APUS as an associate professor of Space Studies for nearly 3 years. She is the faculty co-advisor for the APUS branch of the Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics. She is also the designer and lead advisor of a student-led research program that searches for new supernova events. Dr. Miller conducts research involving observations of exoplanet transits and educational research examining the efficacy of online laboratory exercises in introductory space studies classes.
Dr. Ahmed Naumaan is an engineer, computer science instructor, and independent higher education consultant with experience in both academics and as a practitioner. Dr. Naumaan recently served as national dean for DeVry University’s College of Engineering & Information Sciences, as dean of Kaplan University’s School of Information Systems and Technology, as academic director for engineering programs at National Technological University. Before entering academia, Dr. Naumaan served as principal engineer and manager for ITRON, Inc., and as principal scientist for APA Optics, Inc., receiving two patents for optical device technologies. Dr. Naumaan received his PhD and MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, where his research focused on devices and materials for integrated optics. He also completed the MBA Advantage Program from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.
Dr. Mark Riccardi serves as dean for the School of Security and Global Studies at American Public University System. Dr. Riccardi has presented at conferences around the world on topics that include Social Media use During Disaster Operations, Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Emergency Response Operations. He retired from the United States Army after 21 years of active service spent in intelligence, military support to civilian authorities, and special operations. Dr. Riccardi holds a BA in English from the College of Staten Island – City University of New York, a Master of Education from Colorado State University, a Master of Criminal Justice from Boston University, a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, and a PhD in Education from Colorado State University.
Dr. Vernon C. Smith has more than 25 years of experience in higher education. He has an extensive background in online learning issues and practices, including effective quality, assessment, and retention strategies in higher education, and was an early adopter of using big data for predictive modeling and teaching excellence to promote student success. He joined APUS from the University of the Pacific where he led digital and adult learning initiatives including oversight of the Center for Professional and Continuing Education, the Center for Teaching and Learning, Academic Technology, and support for graduate hybrid and in-person programs on the Sacramento and San Francisco campuses.
Professor Dave Webb is the Convener of the GN and a retired university engineering professor who switched to Peace and Conflict Studies. He was also co-founder and Director of the Praxis Centre (for the study of Information and Technology for Peace, Conflict Resolution and Human Rights) at Leeds Beckett (previously Leeds Metropolitan) University. He retired from there in 2012 to focus on peace campaigning. He is currently chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in the UK, a Vice-President of the International Peace Bureau and a patron of the UK group Scientists for Global Responsibility. Dave will chair the panel and each panel member will have 10-15 minutes to present their views on the topic and then questions will be taken from the audience and discussed by the panel members.
Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe, Honorary Professor and Director of the Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology, University of Buckingham is an internationally renowned astronomer who has made pioneering contributions to the theory of cosmic dust. In 1974 he first proposed the theory that dust in interstellar space and in comets was largely organic, a theory that has now been vindicated. In collaboration with Sir Fred Hoyle he propounded the theory of cometary panspermia. Jointly with Sir Fred Hoyle, he was awarded the International Dag Hammarskjold Gold Medal for Science in 1986, and in 1992 he was decorated by the President of Sri Lanka with the titular honor of Vidya Jyothi. He was awarded the International Sahabdeen Prize for Science in 1996. He holds the ScD degree from the University of Cambridge, and an honorary doctorate from the Soka University of Tokyo, Japan, an honorary doctorate from Ruhuna University of Sri Lanka, along with several other international distinctions. A Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, 1962-1973; Staff Member of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy in the University of Cambridge, 1965-1973; Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Astronomy, Cardiff University 1973-1990; Professor of Mathematics, Cardiff University 1990-2000; Director of the Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology, 2000-2010; Honorary Professor and Director of the Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology, University of Buckingham. An award-winning poet and the author or co-author of over 25 books and over 350 scientific papers, 70 of which are in Nature. He has held visiting professorial appointments in a large number of universities world-wide and has at one time been an advisor to the president of Sri Lanka and Founding Director of the Institute of Fundamental Studies in Sri Lanka.