This session is a dedicated platform for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as early-career professionals (with five years or less of work experience) to showcase their research, innovative projects, and contributions to the space sector.
Rising Stars will feature presentations focused on space-related themes, highlighting the next generation of space talent and their impact on advancing space exploration and settlement. Participants will present their work to a diverse audience that includes industry leaders, space enthusiasts, and fellow students, offering invaluable opportunities for exposure, networking, and professional growth.
By partnering with organizations such as Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS), the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF), and the World Innovation Network (WIN), we aim to promote this track widely, attract exceptional presenters, and enhance participation across the broader ISDC audience. This session underscores our commitment to supporting the development of emerging space professionals, fostering connections, and showcasing the innovative contributions of the next generation.
Attendees of this session will witness a wide array of topics including, but not limited to, satellite technology, space habitat design, lunar and Martian resource utilization, and innovative propulsion methods. Each presentation will be meticulously curated to ensure relevance, technical rigor, and originality, providing an engaging and educational experience for all attendees.
The Rising Stars: Collegiate and Early Career Perspectives session is an essential forum for celebrating and advancing the work of the next generation of space innovators and professionals. Join us in supporting these talented individuals as they contribute to the future of space exploration and settlement.
| Afternoon Session · 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm | |
| 2:00 pm | Welcome and IntroductionsBurt Dicht (National Space Society) and Robert Katz (World Innovation Network) |
| Block 1: Space Policy, Law & Governance | |
| 2:10 pm | Regulatory Sandboxes as a Governance Tool for the Emerging Space Economy: Lessons from Energy and FinTechDr. Zsófia Bíró (Center for Air and Space Law, University of Mississippi) |
| 2:25 pm | Right of Way Rules: Driving the Future of Orbital TrafficAshling Sugarman (Pepperdine Law School) |
| 2:40 pm | Governing Autonomy: Legal and Ethical Frameworks for AI in Space ActivitiesMargaret O’Brien (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) |
| Block 2: Space Science & Technology | |
| 2:55 pm | A Bright Idea: Why Astronomy Needs Space-Based Solar PowerBenjamin Calloway (Photon Orbital Solutions) |
| 3:10 pm | The Story of HPSC: How Space Communication Powers NASA’s Space Exploration MissionsJessica Mariane Jelke (NASA and The George Washington University) |
| 3:25 pm | Inspection of Non-Cooperative Resident Space Objects in Low Earth OrbitRachel Long (Mars Institute and University of California, Davis) |
| 3:40 pm | US-LACSA: Building a Cooperative Security Architecture for Space Resilience in the Western HemisphereMo Tasrif Khan (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) |
| Block 3: Space Exploration & Future Missions | |
| 3:55 pm | WolfSat-2: A Sustainable Wooden CubeSat Design for Very Low Earth OrbitSantiago N. Gollarza (Wolfpack CubeSat Dev team, BLUECUBE Aerospace) |
| 4:10 pm | Preliminary Pressurized Rover Traverse Paths from Clavius Crater to the NASA LCROSS Impact Site in Cabeus Crater Near the Lunar South PoleApoorva Somani (United States Air Force Academy) |
| 4:25 pm | Exploring Mars: From Rotorcraft Mission Payloads to Human Exploration OperationsReef Collins (Mars Institute and University of Central Florida) |
| 4:40 pm | Pathways on Mars: Designing Pressurized Rover Traverse Paths Around the "Noctis Landing" Candidate Human Landing SiteScarlett Hartzman (Mars Institute and Carnegie Mellon University) |
| Block 4: Space Health, Learning and Impact | |
| 4:55 pm | From Chernobyl to the Cosmos: Can Fungi Protect Astronauts?Natalie Byrd (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) |
| 5:10 pm | Insulin in Orbit: A Mission Worth TestingKennady Ruth (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) |
| 5:25 pm | Astronauts' Cognitive Maps: Evolving Identity through the Chronospatial FrontiersGinger Chen (Florida Institute of Technology) |
| 5:40 pm | Final Thoughts and RecognitionBurt Dicht (National Space Society) and Robert Katz (World Innovation Network) |
| 6:00 pm — END | |
Rising Stars
Session Co-Chair Info
Burt Dicht
National Space Society Director of Membership
Burt Dicht has dedicated his career to advancing STEM education and inspiring the next generation of engineers, scientists, and space innovators. As the National Space Society (NSS) Managing Director of Membership and Office Manager at the Kennedy Space Center, he actively promotes NSS membership and student engagement, ensuring that young people see space exploration as a tangible and exciting career path. Before joining NSS, Dicht served as the Director of Read More
Robert Katz
CEO and Executive Director of the World Innovation Network
Robert Katz is a visionary leader and strategist dedicated to advancing space innovation, national security, and education. With nearly four decades of experience in space strategy, technology, and policy, Katz has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of space exploration and development. As the CEO and Executive Director of the World Innovation Network (WIN), a nonprofit space think tank, Katz has been instrumental in fostering global collaboration and Read More
Rising Stars
Session Speakers Info
Zsófia Biró
Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Center for Air and Space Law, University of Mississippi
Dr. Zsófia Biró, PhD, LL.M. is a space policy expert and legal scholar with an interdisciplinary background in law, economics, finance, and innovation. She holds a PhD in Law, an LL.M. in Energy Law, an MSc in Finance, and specialized postgraduate qualifications in energy management and space policy. As a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of Mississippi Center for Air and Space Law, she conducts comparative research on U.S. Read More
Natalie Byrd
Student, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Natalie Byrd is a senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, pursuing a double major in Spaceflight Operations and Aerospace Physiology, with a minor in Human Factors. She serves as the lab manager for the Advanced Space Technologies and Research Applications (ASTRA) Lab, where she supports student-led research and development across a range of aerospace and human spaceflight initiatives. Through her academic and research experiences, Natalie has developed a strong interest in Read More
Benjamin Calloway
Systems Engineer, Space Frontier Foundation
Benjamin Calloway is a systems engineer by profession with a multidisciplinary background in mechanical engineering. His career has spanned a wide range of roles, from serving as the sole R&D engineer at a startup to founding and leading his own space hard-tech company as CTO. He is driven by a desire to help solve complex challenges, applying his skills where they can have the greatest impact. Benjamin’s interests include space Read More
Ginger Chen
Data Scientist, Florida Institute of Technology
Ginger Chen is a researcher of human-AI cognitive systems, specializing in analytical intensity, persistence, and theory-building in qualitative research. She is completing her doctoral program at Florida Institute of Technology this spring. Ginger is the developer of the GOLDEN Framework™, a six-step methodology rooted in ethical and reflexive human-AI collaboration in qualitative analysis, designed to advance learner modeling and enhance human cognitive capabilities across diverse contexts. Her work integrates Interpretative Read More
Reef Collins
Student Intern, Mars Institute and University of Central Florida
Reef Collins is a senior at the University of Central Florida focused on space operations and the goal of becoming a Flight Director at NASA. Combining an academic background in computational atmospheric modeling with hands-on mission architecture, his work centers on the operational realities of human spaceflight. He is currently designing and developing time-delayed communication protocols and symmetrical asynchronous broadcast (SAB) infrastructure for the NASA Haughton-Mars Project on Devon Island, Read More
Santiago N. Gollarza
BLUECUBE Aerospace, Dual Enrollment Student, Florida Atlantic University
Santiago N. Gollarza is a High School Junior in a dual enrollment program at Florida Atlantic University. He is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Biological Chemistry and minoring in Microbiology. He is also working as an undergraduate research student at the University of Florida Scripps Herbert Wertheim Institute in Jupiter, Florida. He has participated in the 2024 COSPAR Conference, the 2022 AbSciCon Conference, and has been selected to present Read More
Scarlett Hartzman
Student Intern, Mars Institute
Scarlett Hartzman is a senior at New Rochelle High School and a student intern with Dr. Pascal Lee at the Mars Institute. Next year, she will be attending Carnegie Mellon University for Mechanical Engineering. In 2024, she was one of the youngest speakers at the Humans to Mars Summit, sharing her path to space research. She won the Grand Prize at the 2025 Westchester Science and Engineering Fair (WESEF) and Read More
Jessica Jelke
Intern, The Aerospace Corporation
Jessica Jelke developed a strong foundation in both academics and athletics while studying astrophysics and competing in collegiate boxing at the University of Washington. During this time, she was recognized as a Washington NASA Space Grant recipient, a three-time intern at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and an Astronaut Scholar. After graduating, Jessica continued supporting NASA’s mission as a STEM educator at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. She has also Read More
Mo Tasrif Khan
Master's Student, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Mo Tasrif Khan is a graduate student and future U.S. Air Force officer. He is earning a Master of Science in Cyberspace & Space Operations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. As an Air Force ROTC cadet, he led briefings on cyber defense, finance, and leadership, earning top evaluations. Khan has traveled over 65,000 miles across multiple states for business travel, while serving 9,500+ clients through AT&T Business and Spectrum Communications, delivering Read More
Rachel Long
Student, Aerospace Engineering, Mars Institute and UC Davis
Rachel Long is a researcher, pilot, and completing degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of California, Davis. She has conducted research with NASA, the Mars Institute, and the Center for Space Exploration Research at UC Davis. Her work spans pressurized rover design for the Moon and Mars, spacecraft life support systems, UAV-based wildfire detection, and eVTOL transit operations. Her research has been presented at national conferences and Read More
Margaret O'Brien
Student, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Margaret O’Brien is a Spaceflight Operations student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, pursuing minors in Space Law, Homeland Security, and Astrophysics. Her academic focus centers on the intersection of space operations and international legal frameworks governing outer space. She currently serves as a legal research intern with the Space Court Foundation, where she contributes to initiatives promoting the development and understanding of space law. Through her studies and research, she aims Read More
Kennady Ruth
Student, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Kennady Ruth is a rising junior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, pursuing a degree in Systems Engineering with minors in Applied Mathematics and Space Operations. She is a researcher with the Advanced Space Technologies and Research Applications (ASTRA) Lab, where she collaborates with peers on projects focused on human spaceflight and space systems development. Her interest in spaceflight has shaped her academic and research pursuits, with a particular focus on improving Read More
Apoorva Somani
Student, United States Air Force Academy
Apoorva Somani is a senior at the United States Air Force Academy in Astronautical Engineering, with a growing interest in space exploration. He is currently working with the Mars Institute as part of their Global Research Internship Program, contributing to lunar surface mobility research. Outside the classroom, he has flown multiple aircraft types and earned his Basic Parachutist Wings in 2024. Apoorva aspires to fly in the U.S. Air Force Read More
Ashling Sugarman
Juris Doctor Candidate, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law
Ashling Sugarman is a Juris Doctor candidate (’27) at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, where she serves as Vice President of the International Law Society and Lead Article Editor on the Journal Of Business, Entrepreneurship, And The Law. For the 2026 summer, she is gaining valuable experience as a legal intern at the Federal Communications Commission’s Space Bureau. Ashling is also participating in the Matthew Isakowitz Foundation Programs as a Read More