Dr. Trista Vick-Majors is an Assistant Professor of Ecology and Environmental Sciences in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Great Lakes Research Center at Michigan Technological University, where she leads the “Wherever There’s Water” lab. Her research focuses on microbial life in aquatic and extreme environments, and her work has ranged from from hot springs, to some of the most nutrient-poor reaches of Earth’s oceans, to lakes buried half-a-mile beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. Microorganisms thrive in places that are inhospitable to humans, and Dr. Vick-Majors’ research is aimed at understanding not only how they thrive on Earth, but how their strategies might translate to life on other worlds.

Mr. Streland has over 30 years of experience in space system development. He currently serves as Corporate Lead Executive – Los Angeles where he focuses on the NG relationship with the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center. He has previously held industry positions as Director, Strategy and Business Development for Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Orbital ATK and ATK, and as Manager, Space Program Office for Parsons.

In 2017, Melanie Stricklan combined her military experience and love of space to co-found Slingshot Aerospace, a company building world-class space simulation and analytics solutions. Under her leadership, the company launched a suite of products for commercial and defense applications including Slingshot Beacon, the industry’s first space collision avoidance collaboration and communications platform. As CEO,…

Alan J. Mittelman is the Founder, CEO and President of SunTiger, Inc., dba Eagle Eyes Optics.    SunTiger® manufactures the Eagle Eyes® brand of sunglasses that are sold online, in leading catalogs and by distributors worldwide. A pioneering product in direct-response television commercials, Eagle Eyes High Performance Eyewear was developed from original NASA optic technology and…

Miriam Kramer is the space reporter for Axios. She is the author of the weekly Axios Space newsletter and covers the science and business of space.

Michael Sheetz joined CNBC as a News Associate in June 2017, covering breaking news for CNBC.com. He reports primarily on the space industry and previously covered Markets.

Joseph (Joe) P. Urso purchased Electrolux North America in 1998 and transformed the company into what is now ActivePure Technologies, an industry leader in creating healthy indoor environments and providing reliable lifetime service. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to grow ActivePure Technologies into a multichannel holding company that offers a broad range of products and services designed to create and maintain a healthy life, beginning with clean indoor air and surfaces.

Based on Florida’s Space Coast, Emre Kelly is a space reporter at Florida Today and the USA Today Network. His coverage focuses on rocket launches, the spaceflight industry, and the rapidly growing presence of space-related companies in Florida. He also helps lead USA Today’s efforts in expanding spaceflight coverage and storytelling to augmented reality platforms. He joined the company in 2012.

Recently acknowledged by Forbes Magazine amongst the world’s youngest and most impactful individuals in the field of science, Kenneth F. Harris II is known for delivering thoughtful and dynamic leadership on programs of critical national and international importance.