Only two months to go until the Women and Mars Conference in Washington, DC! Here are some dates to remember –

Mars Science Laboratory Launch Invitation Deadline: If you register for our conference by Oct 7, 2011, you will receive a VIP invitation to the launch of Mars Science Laboratory. Register today at – www.eventbrite.com/event/1218812501

Hotel Reservation Deadline: Remember to reserve your hotel room at the One Washington Circle Hotel (www.thecirclehotel.com) by October 18, 2011. There are a limited number of rooms available at the special rate of $229 per night. To reserve your room, please call (202) 872-1680 and ask for the Explore Mars room rate.

Preliminary Conference Agenda

November 9, 2011

8:00-9:00: Registration and Breakfast
9:00-9:45: Keynote: Lori Garver – invited
10:00-11:30: Panel – Why have so many women become involved/interested in Mars exploration?

Lunch

1:00-2:30: Panel – How can “Mars women” help to advance STEM education for young women/reach non-traditional audiences?
2:30-3:30: Industry/Commercial Panel
3:30-5:00: Space Operations panel
5:00-6:00: Reception
7:00-9:00 – Mars Underground Discussion

November 10, 2011

7:30-8:30 – Registration and Breakfast
8:30-9:30: Space Policy panel
9:30-11:30: Mars Science panel
11:30-12:30 – Closing Speaker

End of formal programming

12:30-2:00: Lunch
2:00-4:30: Breakout/Brainstorming Sessions

– STEM Education: Mars Education Workshop
– Science and Technology
– Policy and Advocacy

Current speakers list (September 8, 2011)

– Lori Garver (Deputy Administrator, NASA) – invited
– Rebecca Keiser (Associate Deputy Administrator for Policy Integration, NASA)
– Tiffany Montague (Space Projects, Google)
– Cady Coleman (Astronaut, NASA) – invited
– Simonetta Di Pippo (European Space Agency)
– Laurie Leshin (Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, NASA)
– Penelope Boston (Director, Cave and Karst Studies Program; Cave and Karst Studies, Earth and Environmental Sciences Dept.; New Mexico Tech)
– Linda Billings (Research Professor, School of Media and Public Affairs; The George Washington University)
– Michelle Viotti (Manager for NASA’s Mars Public Engagement Program)
– Patti Grace Smith (former Associate Administrator, Commercial Space Transportation; FAA)
– Susan Niebur (Women in Planetary Science; blogger)
– Lisa May (Program Executive, Mars Exploration Program, NASA)
– Deborah Bass (2018 Joint Mars Rover Science Systems Engineer; Mars Exploration Program Strategic Planning; Technical Group Supervisor, Science System Engineering; JPL, NASA)
– Pascale Erhenfreund (Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs, Space Policy Institute, The Elliott School of International Affairs; The George Washington University)
– Mary Liscombe (Director of the Christa McAuliffe Center and Challenger Learning Center, Framingham State University)
– Pamela Conrad (Deputy Principal Investigator, Sample Analysis at Mars, Mars Science Laboratory; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
– Colleen Hartman (Assistant Associate Administrator, Science; NASA)
– Marcia Smith (Founder and Editor, SpacePolicyOnline.com)