Thank you for your interest in Ames Partnership Days. 

THIS EVENT HAS PASSED

View event presentations here.

Ames Partnership Days was held on April 29-May 1, 2025, representatives from the space industry, US federal labs, government agencies, academia, and other related sectors were invited to Ames to explore the cutting-edge research, technologies, and unique capabilities that drive forward advancements in space exploration, aviation, and STEM.

The three-day in-person experience focused on showcasing Ames’s core competencies, research facilities and engagement in exciting discussions about collaboration opportunities for partnerships with NASA Ames.

Event Highlights:

• Presentations on current and future research initiatives
• Opportunities for collaborative discussions with NASA experts
• Networking sessions with industry leaders and research institutions

Contact Information:

• Partnership Inquiries: Ames Strategic Partnerships Office, arc-partnerships@mail.nasa.gov.
• Public or News Media Inquiries: Ames Office of Communications, arc-dl-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

AGENDA

Day 1 – April 29

• Meeting Kick-off: Sharmila Bhattacharya, Sci & Tech Utilization Lead (External Collaborations) & David Mauro, Mars Campaign Office Portfolio Lead for Ames
• Welcome: Dave Korsmeyer NASA Ames Deputy Center Director
• Welcome: Donovan Mathias, Chief, NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) Division
• Bill Thigpen, High-End Computing Capability Component Manager: High-End Computing Enables Discovery at NASA
• Chris Tanner, NASA Advanced Supercomputing Facilities Manager: Supercomputing Modular Data Centers
• Jon Jenkins, Kepler Mission Analysis Lead; Co-Investigator for Data Analysis: Building and Operating Science Pipelines at the NAS
• Nina McCurdy, Visualization Scientist: Data Analysis and Visualization at NAS
• Jared Duensing, NAS Computational Aerosciences Branch Chief: Computational Aerosciences at NASA: Ushering in the Next Generation of CFD Modeling and Simulation
• Eleanor Rieffel, NASA Senior Researcher for Advanced Computing and Data Analytics; Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (QuAIL) Lead: An Overview of the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (QuAIL)
• Mike Lowry, NASA Senior Scientist for Reliable Software: Neuromorphic Computing: Mapping Neuroscience to Silicon and Prospects for Space Missions
• Final questions and wrap up
• Logistics Explained: Lunch Order, Tours sign up, etc.
• Break / Exposition Area Open / Tours sign up
• Welcome: Dave Alfano & Jessica Nowinski, Chief, NASA Ames Intelligent Systems & Human Machine Interaction Divisions       
• Kenneth Cheung, Project Manager, Automated Reconfigurable Mission Adaptive Digital Assembly Systems (ARMADAS): Robotic assembly of Next generation infrastructure, on earth and off world
• Michael Iatauro, DSA Deputy Project Manager: Enabling New Observation Strategies with Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy
• Shu-Chieh Wu, Senior Researcher, When Earth is A Pale Blue Dot: Human-Systems Integration Challenges and Opportunities in Earth Independent Operations
• Jimin Zheng, Senior Researcher, Exploration Playbook: A Human-Centered Approach to Developing Software for Mission Planning on Earth, the Moon, and Beyond.
• Panel Discussion: Intelligent Adaptive Systems Capabilities at NASA Ames.
  Moderators: Dave Alfano & Jessica Nowinski (Division Chiefs Intelligent Systems & Human Systems Integration).
  Panelists: Eleanor Rieffel (NASA Senior Technologist), Mike Lowry (NASA Senior Technologist), Terry Fong (NASA Senior Technologist), Alonso Vera (NASA Senior Technologist)
• Special Session on AI – Welcome & Introduction: Jeremy Frank, Group Lead
• Jeremy Frank, Group Lead: Autonomous Systems
• Joel Lachter, Researcher: Human-Machine Teaming
• Shuba Ranjan, Researcher:  Supercomputing
• Terry Fong, NASA Senior Technologist: Robotics
• Exhibition Area Open / Tours sign up (Last Call)
• Brenden Sanborn, Deputy Chief, NASA Ames Partnership Division:  Partnership Overview

Day 2 – April 30

• Welcome and Introductions: Bruce Yost, Director, NASA Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute
• Alan Cassell, Head of the NASA Ames Mission Design Center: The NASA Ames Mission Design Center
• Richard Rowan, Mechanical Engineer: Engineering Test Laboratories      
• Nathan Benz, Starling Project Manager: Flight Software
• Justin Pane, Director, Multi-Mission Operations Center: NASA Ames Multi-Mission Operations Center
• Philip Shih, Project Manager: Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3)
• Nathan Benz, Starling Project Manager:  Starling
• Marcus Murbach, Project Manager & Principal Investigator, TechEdSat Spacecraft Series
• Sergio Santa Maria, Principal Investigator:  BioSentinel
• Jay Bookbinder, Programs and Project Director: SpinSat
• Roger Hunter, Program Manager, NASA Small Spacecraft & Distributed Systems: Small Spacecraft & Distributed Systems Overview
• Welcome: Andrew Meade, Chief NASA Ames Experimental Aero-Physics Branch
• Lara Lash, Aerospace Engineer: Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint at NASA Ames
• Nathanial Smith, Aerospace Engineer: Advanced Imaging Methods
• Jayanta Panda, Aerospace Engineer: Ames Acoustic Testing Capabilities
• Panel Discussion: Fluid Mechanics Lab Capabilities. Moderate: Bruce Storms. Panelists: Lara Lash, Nathanial Smith, Jayanta Panda
• Prof. Alexandre Bayen, Associate Provost – Berkeley Space Center: Academic mission of the Berkeley Space Center
• Welcome: Diana Acosta, Chief NASA Ames Aerospace Simulation Research & Development Branch             
• Panel Discussion: Simulation Test Capabilities.
  Moderator: Diana Acosta.
  Panelists: Matt Blanken (Aerospace Engineer), Emily Lewis (Lead Simulation Engineer), Dan Wood (Air Traffic Control SME), Lindsay Stevens (Chief, Flight Dynamics, Trajectory and Controls Branch), Carlos Malpica (Aerospace Engineer)
• Welcome: David Hash, Chief, NASA Ames Entry Systems & Technology Division: New Paradigm – Enduring Value: Commercial Space Entry Systems
• Jeff Hill, Chief, NASA Ames Aerothermodynamics Branch: NASA Ames Entry Systems Modeling and Simulation Capabilities         
• Peter Race, Deputy Chief, NASA Ames Thermophysics Facilities Branch: NASA Ames Arc Jet Testing Overview
• Mairead Stackpoole, Chief, NASA Ames Thermal Protection Material Branch:  Collaborative Innovation – How Strategic Partnerships are Transforming Thermal Protection Systems Advancement
• Paul Wercinski, Project Manager: ADEPT – Adaptable Deployable Entry Placement Technology Overview
• Panel Discussion: Empowering You in Your Mission Success with Our Innovation, Expertise, and Capabilities in Entry Systems and Technology Built over Decades. Moderator: Ethiraj Venkatapathy (NASA Senior Technologist for Entry Systems)
  Panelists: Keith Peterson (Flight Hardware Design and Development Lead), Paul Wercinski (ADEPT Project Manager), Matt Gasch (Deceleration Systems Capability Portfolio Architect), Jay Feldman (High Temperature Reusable Material Leads), Frank Hui (Arc Jet Complex Lead Test Engineer)

Day 3 – May 1

• Welcome and Introductions: Michael Hesse, Director of Science, NASA Ames
• Jessica Lee, Scientist, Space Bioscience Research: Deep Space Biology Research Hardware and Infrastructure
• Walter Alvarado, Scientist, Space Bioscience Research: Open Science for Life in Space
• Michael Flynn, Physical Scientist, Bioengineering: Life Support Systems and Synthetic Biology
• Florian Schwandner/Jessica McCarty, NASA Ames Earth Science Division Chief/ Scientist NASA Ames Earth Science Division: Earth Science Overview
• Matt Fladeland, Manager, Airborne Program Office: Airborne Science and Technology
• Jessica McCarty, Deputy Chief, Earth Science Division: NASA Earth Exchange
• Jen Heldmann, Planetary Scientist, Planetary Systems Branch: Human and Robotic Exploration of the Moon and Mars
• Darlene Lim, Planetary Scientist, Planetary Systems Branch: Optimizing Exploration Return Through Collaborative Real-Time Science Operations
• Tony Colaprete, Associate Director for New Business and Innovation, NASA Ames Science Directorate: The Flight Instrument Group: Solutions to Tough Problems
• Rus Belikov, Astrophysicist, Astrophysics Branch:  NASA’s Search for Life with the Coronagraphic Instrument on the Habitable Worlds Observatory
• Panel Discussion: NASA Ames Science. 
  Moderator: Michael Hesse.
  Panelists: Tony Colaprete (Associate Director for New Business and Innovation, NASA Ames Science Directorate), Jessica McCarty (Deputy Chief, Earth Science Division), Parag Vaishampayan (Chief, Space Biosciences Division), Jen Heldmann (Planetary Scientist, Planetary Systems Division)
• 12:30 – 13:00    Closing Remarks