NASA Alumni League - JSC

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Past NAL Events

2021

Nov 4 - Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO of ICON, an Austin-based construction technologies company pioneering in construction-scale 3D printing, discussed how 3D printing is an essential part of humanity's toolkit to go to the Moon and Mars to stay. Video Presentation - Zoom Meeting
Oct 7 - Carl Brainerd (retired), formerly with Link Flight Simulation, described the Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) complex used to train all Shuttle crews, and specifically the disassembly and current Motion Base restoration effort. Restoration Presentation charts. - Zoom Meeting
Sept 2 - Dr. Brian Crucian, lead scientist for NASA’s Immunology research, discussed changes to an astronaut’s immune system during spaceflight, as well as developing countermeasures to help mitigate the clinical risks for astronauts during long-duration mission. - Zoom Meeting
Aug 5 - "Stopping a Pandemic with Spacesuit Technology" - NAL member Dr. Larry Kuznetz, chief scientist and designer for Planetary Protech, discussed developing a pathogen-protected suit to defend against present and future pandemics. - Zoom meeting
July 1 - "Apollo's Lessons" - Space historian Andrew Chaikin talked about his work for NASA on the human elements of success and failure in spaceflight projects, focusing on the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. - Zoom meeting
June 3 - John Couluris, Program Manager for Blue Origin's Human Landing System, discussed Blue Origin's concept for their vehicle to land American astronauts on the Moon. - Zoom meeting
May 6 - NAL member Jerry Ross described some of the beautiful pictures of Earth that were taken during his seven Space Shuttle missions. "Around the world in 90 minutes" - Zoom meeting
April 1 - A 40th anniversary moderated discussion about STS-1 with Bob Crippen, Dick Truly, Neil Hutchinson, Chuck Lewis, and Gene Kranz - Zoom Meeting
Mar 4 - Steve Labbe, Director of Engineering at Intuitive Machines, discussed Intuitive Machines' Lunar Program Overview. - Zoom Meeting
Feb 4 - James Oberg discussed "Fireball Swarms from Satellite Reentries -- Astonishing Mass Public Misinterpretations Provide Unexpected Perceptual Lessons" - Zoom Meeting
Jan 7 - Mark Craig gave a presentation on "NASA's Narrative on Exploration and Development of Space" - Zoom Meeting

2020

Dec 3 - Dr. Kirsten Siebach, Martian geologist and Rice University Assistant Professor in Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science, presented "Reading the Martian Record: Stories of a Previously Habitable World." - Zoom Meeting
Nov 5 - Dr. Scott Greenald, Senior Vision Scientist in NASA's Cardiovascular and Vision Laboratory presented "How a headwind fluid shift in weightlessness may cause spaceflight-associated neuroocular syndrome (SANS). - Zoom meeting.
Oct 1 - Torin McCoy, Branch Chief, Environmental Sciences Branch, Human Health and Performance Directorate NASA gave a talk about Lunar Dust Toxicity - Zoom Meeting
Sept. 3 — Dr. David Kring from the Lunar and Planetary Institute presented “Lunar South Pole: Preparing for a Seventh Landing.” - Zoom Meeting
Aug 6 – Former astronaut and NOAA Administrator, Dr. Kathy Sullivan presented “Challenges in Sea and Space.” - Zoom Meeting
July 23 - Daniel Newmyer – Space Center Houston VP of Education presented “Innovating Education in Challenging Times,” about the educational outreach programs being conducted by SSH during the pandemic. – Zoom meeting
July 2 – Space Nutrition by Scott Smith, PhD., Head of the JSC Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory – Zoom meeting
March 5 – “To Boldly Sequence Where No One Has Sequenced Before: How DNA Sequencing is Changing Life in Space”, Dr. Sarah Wallace, JSC Microbiology Lab Technical Lead
Feb 5 – “Venous Blood Flow Stasis and Thrombosis During Spaceflight”, Karina Marshall-Goebel, PhD, Senior Scientist

2019

Dec 10 - JOINT SOCIAL & DINNER with Manned Spaceflight Operations Association (MSOA) – Speaker was Gateway Deputy Program Manager Lara Kearney. Link to presentation
Dec 5 – Guest speaker was Chris Culbert, Manager, Commercial Lunar Payload Services. Link to presentation
Nov 7 – NAL member Dean Eppler presented “Introduction to the Moon.”
Oct 10 – SOCIAL & DINNER – Guest speaker was JSC Deputy Director Vanessa Wyche.
Oct 3 – Larry Bell, Director Emeritus of the Univ. of Houston Central Campus Sasakawa Space Architecture School.
Sept 5 – Steven Gonzalez, Technology Transfer Strategist presented “JSC Tech Transfer: The Latest on Partnerships and Start-Ups.” After this, Charlene Gilbert, Intellectual Properties Portfolio Manager, discussed the efforts of the JSC Tech Transfer Office to formulate an Intellectual Property strategy to support US Commercial Space companies.
August 1 – “Orion Program Update”, Charlie Lundquist — Orion Deputy Program Manager.
July 20 – Apollo 11 50th Reunion Social – Pictures from Apollo Landing Anniversary Events – Joint activity with MSOA.
June 6 – NAL members got a guided tour of the Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington Field.
May 2 – Dick Rybacki and Tim Jeffcoat of the Small Business Administration gave a presentation on SCORE
Feb 7 – Tour of new UHCL STEM building and Recreational and Wellness Facility
March 7 — “NASA’s samples from across the solar system”, Cindy Evans, Chief of JSC’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division
March 21 – SOCIAL & DINNER – JSC Director Mark Geyer was the guest speaker.
April 4 — “Apollo-11: Fantastic Myths and Legends, and Where They Came From”, James Oberg, Presentation on Apollo 11 White Spot., Presentation on Apollo 11 UFO

2018

Jan 4 – Space Shuttle Astronaut Jim Wetherbee, Discussion and Book Signing for “Controlling Risk – In a Dangerous World”
Feb 1, 2018 – Tracy Lamm from Space Center gave an update on activities at Space Center Houston
March 1 – “Chasing Poor Man’s Space Probes”, a discussion on the study of meteorites and what we learn from them – Dr. Everett Gibson
April 5 – Joe Caram/SE&I Lead for Deep Space Gateway
May – No program
June 7 – NASA Alumni League President Wayne Hale – “Update on the NAL National Organization”
June 18 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “NAL-JSC – Your Impact on the Community”
July – No program
August 2 – “International Space Station: Operating an Outpost In the New Frontier” – Dr. Robert Dempsey
Sept 6 – “Engineering Technology Development Effort”, JSC/Monte Goforth
Oct 4 – “James Webb Space Telescope Testing at JSC during Hurricane Harvey”, JSC/Jonathan Homan
Oct 17 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “Growth and New Visions at UHCL”, Dr. Ira K. Blake, the new president of UHCL”
Nov 1 – A panel of Apollo veterans, Chet Vaughn, Hal Beck, Gene Ricks, Bill Moon and Denny Holt shared their stories and experiences from these historic first steps leading to the Moon landing.
Dec 3 – Holiday Social
Dec 6 (First Thursday) – “Girlstart – Empowering Girls for STEM Careers” – Jeff Davis

2017

Dec 7 – JSC/Jesse Buffington, “NASA’s Progress and Planning in Exploration EVA”
Nov 7 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “History of the MOL Program”, Dr. John Charles
Nov 2 – STS-5 Reunion “Photos” and “Part 1 Video – Vance Brand’s mission overview”, “Part 2 Video – Panel Discussion”. The panel included Vance Brand, Flight Director Tommy Holloway, Payloads Officer Mike Hawes, Training Manager Ronnie Lanier, Program Office Leonard Nicholson, and NASA Headquarters Jon Michael Smith
Oct 5 – UHCL Dr. David Garrison – Overview of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Houston – Clear Lake
Sept 21 – UHCL Robotics tour at UHCL Presentation 1, Presentation 2
Sept 7 – No program
Aug 22 SOCIAL & DINNER – “Center Director Update” – Dr. Ellen Ochoa/JSC Center Director
Aug 3 – “JSC’s Engineers Without Borders Chapter: Several Projects Applying Space Technology to Help in the Developing World“, Jack Bacon
July 18 SOCIAL & DINNER – “Orion Program Update without videos, small PDF download” “PowerPoint Charts with Videos, large download”, – Program Manager/Mark Kirasich
July 6 – “History of Underwater/Neutral Buoyancy Training for Astronauts”, Dr. John Charles
June 1 – Frank Hughes presented his Apollo 13 class that he teaches at Lone Star College
May 4 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “Long-term care for those with Azheimer’s and memory issues” – Anne Neelon, Executive Director of Autumn Leaves of Clear Lake
April 14 – “Dream Chaser”, John Curry -Dream Chaser Program Director/Sierra Nevada Corporation
Mar 7 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “ISS program Current Status and Outlook” – Kirk Shireman/Manager International Space Station Program
Mar 2 – “Eva Suit Design Status” – Amy Ross
Feb 7 – “Curiosity: The Mars Science Laboratory and Mars Exploration”, Doug Archer

2016

Jan 7 – “The Ordinary Astronaut” – Clayton Anderson, Astronaut and Author
Feb 4 – The Changing Face of JSC – Renovation, Innovation, New Buildings – Joel Walker, Director of Center Operations
Mar 4 – “Space Enviroment Simulation Lab (SEL) Chamber A Reactivaton and JWST Testing”
Mar 15 – “Recent Findings About Pluto and Ceres – Texas-sized Planets” – Marc Fries
Apr 7 – “The Changing Face of ISS” – Jeff Arend
May 5 – “Very Recent Pluto Flyby results and Developing a Micro gravity Instrument for ISS”, Dr. Marc Fries
June 2 – Joel Walker, Director of Center Operations, conducted an onsite tour of the newly renovated buildings at JSC.
June 7 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “Remembering Columbia: Building the NEXT Greatest Generation”, Belinda Gay from The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA “Remembering Columbia” Museum in Hemphill Texas
July 7 – “A New Moon Rises: a 21st Century View of the Moon from LRO”, Dr. Samuel Lawrence, NASA Exploration Integration and Science Directorate
Aug 4 – “The Value of the Moon” – Dr. Paul Spudis, Senior Staff Scientist, Lunar and Planetery Institute
Sept 1 – “DNA Sequencer on ISS”, Dr. Aaron Burton, Principal Investigator
Oct 6 – “JSC History: Cradle to Grave”, Speakers – John Uri, JSC History Office Manager and Lauren Meyers, JSC History Collection Archivist, UHCL Neuman Library
Nov 3 – “Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) Talk and Tour” by Dan Sedej
Nov 15 – SOCIAL & DINNER – Preliminary Results of NASA’s Twins Study, Dr. John Charles, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, NASA Human Research Program
Dec 1 – “Hope 1: Space Suit Project” Gordon Andrews/Strategic Communications Group