Green Bay, WI – The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is charting a bold course into the future of space exploration as it hosts the 35th Annual Wisconsin Space Conference on Friday, August 22, 2025. This year’s theme, “The Power to Explore: Energy for Space Operations,” underscores the need for breakthrough energy solutions to power the future of sustainable space missions.
The public is invited to attend the conference, where a visionary community of scientists, engineers, educators, students and industry leaders will gather to shape the future of aerospace. Students will showcase innovative research, while statewide employers highlight how Wisconsin businesses are strengthening the regional workforce. Together, participants will explore new frontiers, demonstrating how a strong Wisconsin workforce is contributing to NASA’s Artemis program and other scientific exploration missions.
At the heart of the event is keynote speaker Lindsay Kaldon, Fission Surface Power project manager at NASA Glenn Research Center. A trailblazer in nuclear propulsion and radioisotope power systems, Kaldon will deliver a powerful address titled: “From Earth to the Stars: Nuclear Fission Surface Power for the Moon and Mars.”
“We are pleased to have our WSGC partners visit our campus. Our rapidly growing programs like engineering and computer science, and other, long-established STEM programs in fields that support NASA’s Mission Directorates showcase the great people and research we have at UW-Green Bay,” said William (Bill) J. Dirienzo, UW-Green Bay associate professor and chair in the Physics program. “This also lets our students and staff find possibilities for collaboration around the state and witness how their work fits into NASA’s mission and Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) funding programs available to them. The WSGC has been a regular supporter of programs that develop talent for all students, including the Collegiate Rocket Launch team and the STEM Study Lounge that supports good study habits for students in introductory STEM courses.”
As a proud member of the WSGC, UW-Green Bay is part of a statewide alliance powered by NASA and dedicated to advancing aerospace innovation. WSGC connects Wisconsin’s brightest minds with the tools, funding, and networks needed to drive discovery and economic growth in the space sector. The conference will feature collaborative forums designed to inspire bold thinking and real-world impact.
For those ready to shape the future, the 35th Annual Wisconsin Space Conference is a launchpad. Learn more and register at: https://www.uwgb.edu/space-conference/.
About The Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC)
The Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) is part of a national network of consortia funded by NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. Congress established the program in 1988 to contribute to the nation’s scientific enterprise through research, education and public service projects.
About UW-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a school of resilient problem solvers who dare to reach higher with the power of education that ignites growth and answers the biggest challenges. Serving 11,198 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students as well as 85,883 continuing education learners annually, UW-Green Bay offers 200 academic degrees, programs, and certificates. With four campus locations in Northeast Wisconsin, the University’s access mission welcomes all students who want to learn, from every corner of the world. Championing bold thinking since opening its doors in 1965, it is a university on the rise – Wisconsin’s fastest growing UW. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
