NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg to deliver keynote address at ISSRDC focused on developing a space workforce

BOSTON (MA), June 20, 2024 – NASA astronaut Warren “Woody” Hoburg will deliver a keynote address at the International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) in Boston on Thursday, August 1, 2024. Hoburg has close ties to Boston as a graduate and former assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Hoburg’s address will focus on his six-month science expedition on the space station and the importance of shaping the future workforce to ensure the success of a sustainable low Earth orbit economy. Hoburg is a strong advocate of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for space-focused careers.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Hoburg showed an early interest in space as a finalist in a national rocketry contest while still in high school. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics at MIT and then completed his master’s degree and Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. After working in product development for Boeing, Hoburg returned to MIT as an assistant professor.

At MIT, Hoburg focused his research on efficient methods for designing engineering systems and led a research group that produced an open-source software package for geometric programming. During this time, he was selected to join the 2017 NASA Astronaut Candidate Class. In 2023, Hoburg spent 186 days in space as an astronaut on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the space station. He supported a variety of investigations during this mission, including multiple projects focused on regenerative medicine and in-space production applications. He also took part in fluid transport investigations and projects that mitigate space radiation risks to humans.

Hoburg’s keynote address will complement Thursday’s panel sessions, lightning talk, and awards presentations focused on expanding the space workforce and increasing entrepreneurial participation in the space industry. The success of future commercial destinations in LEO requires a strong workforce, and the ISS National Lab supports a number of educational outreach programs at every age level to help prepare today’s students to be tomorrow’s researchers, engineers, and explorers.

ISSRDC brings together leaders from the commercial sector, U.S. government agencies, and academic communities to foster innovation and discovery onboard the space station. ISSRDC 2024 will showcase how the orbiting laboratory continues to provide a valuable platform for research and technology development that benefits humanity and enables a robust and sustainable market in LEO. ISSRDC 2024 will be held July 29 to August 1 at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston.

ISSRDC is hosted by the ISS National Laboratory®, managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™); NASA; and the American Astronautical Society (AAS). Additional announcements on keynote speakers and other conference sessions will be forthcoming.

To learn more about ISSRDC 2024, including how to register, exhibit, or become a conference sponsor, please visit the conference website.

Download a high-resolution photo: NASA Astronaut Woody Hoburg (Conference Graphic)
Download a high-resolution photo: NASA Astronaut Woody Hoburg