NextGen Sessions

Please Note: This page features 2026 conference programming. Looking ahead? Information and scheduling for the 2027 conference will be coming soon.

Welcome to NextGen at ISDC

This dynamic program is designed specifically for students and educators passionate about inspiring today’s young minds and building the future of space exploration.

Featuring a stellar lineup of astronauts, cutting-edge researchers, visionary architects, and innovative engineers, NextGen connects tomorrow's leaders with the experts of today. Our speakers bring to life the reality of everyday people living, working, and thriving in communities beyond Earth, fostering the talent and curiosity needed for the next frontier.

While the programming is perfectly geared for a high school audience, this exciting journey is open to everyone.
All ISDC attendees are welcome to join!

NextGen Sessions International BC

Thursday, June 4, 2026 — Morning Session

Dr. Jennifer Rochlis

10:00 am – 10:45 am

Presentation: "Advice for On and Off Planet" Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Rochlis — Spaceflight Consultant

The space industry is exploding with opportunity. Discover what's happening in aerospace right now, how to navigate your path without having it all figured out, and the skills that will sustain you throughout your career. Your internal navigation system works everywhere—both on and off planet.

Thursday, June 4, 2026 — Afternoon Session

Aarti Holla-Maini & Susan Kilrain

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Presentation 1: "The Future of Space Belongs to You" Speaker: Aarti Holla-Maini — Director, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

Presentation 2: "Slaying Snakes in the Cockpit" Speaker: Susan Kilrain — Former NASA Astronaut

Astronaut Susan Kilrain will give a brief overview of her life and career, discussing the major lessons she learned along the way–most notably when her first flight as a F-14 Tomcat pilot went terribly wrong.

Friday, June 5, 2026 — Morning Session

Robert "Hoot" Gibson

10:00 am – 10:45 am

Presentation: "Stories from Space" Speaker Bio: Robert "Hoot" Gibson — Former NASA Chief Astronaut

Join astronaut Hoot Gibson as he discusses his path to space and some of the “good and bad” events from three of his five missions.

Friday, June 5, 2026 — Afternoon Session

Dr. Pascal Lee

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Presentation: "Human Exploration of Mars" Speaker Bio: Dr. Pascal Lee — Planetary Scientist

The first human mission to Mars will be humanity's greatest adventure in space travel this century. Preparations are already underway, from basement labs to the ISS, across academia and industry, and at terrestrial analog field research sites. Human journeys to Mars, however, present major challenges. In this talk, Dr Pascal Lee will examine in turn the What, Why, How, When, Where and Who of human journeys to the Red Planet.

Saturday, June 6, 2026 — Morning Session

Dr. Steven Hawley

10:00 am – 10:45 am

Presentation: "Hubble Space Telescope and a New Golden Age of Astronomy" Speaker Bio: Dr. Steven Hawley — Former NASA Astronaut

When we launched the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in 1990, we thought we had achieved the best we could do with telescopes from the ground. While HST was an impressive improvement in capability, we were able to substantially improve the ability of ground-based telescopes through the combination of space- and ground-based telescopes.

Saturday, June 6, 2026 — Afternoon Session

Melodie Yashar

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Presentation: "Building Off-World: Habitats on the Moon and Mars" Speaker Bio: Melodie Yashar — Space Architect

Sunday, June 7, 2026 — Morning Session

Nancy C. Wolfson & The Johns Hopkins APL DART Team

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Special Session: Planetary Defense Special Session "Look Up, It's an Asteroid!" (Third Edition) Presentation: “The Johns Hopkins APL DART Mission Team: Hitting an Asteroid - From Dimorphos to Didymos and Beyond”

Program Manager: Nancy C. Wolfson — ISDC Planetary Defense Program Manager The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) DART Mission Team: Dr. Elena Adams, Dr. Angela Stickle, Michelle Chen, and Dr. Andy Rivkin (Principal Professional Staff, APL) With Panelists: Dr. Quanzhi Ye (Planetary Astronomer, University of Maryland) and James Anthony Wolff (Partner, Greenspoon Marder LLP)

NextGen Sessions

Session Speakers Info

Please Note: This page features 2026 conference programming. Looking ahead? Information and scheduling for the 2027 conference will be coming soon. Welcome to NextGen at ISDC This dynamic program is designed specifically for students and educators passionate about inspiring today’s young minds and building the future of space exploration. Featuring a stellar lineup of astronauts, cutting-edge researchers, visionary architects, and innovative engineers, NextGen connects tomorrow's leaders with the experts of Read More