Open to all registered attendees and exhibitors, the keynote address features a visionary thought leader from our community.
We are pleased to have Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi, astrophysicist, former Space Science Education Lead for NASA, and inspirational speaker delivering the Keynote this year. Learn more about Dr. Oluseyi and his achievements below.
Keynote ScheduleTuesday, November 14, 2023, 8:30 am MST
Keynote, Plenaries, Invited Speakers ChairRoscoe C. Giles, Boston University
Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi, author of a critically acclaimed upcoming memoir, A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Streets to the Stars, is an internationally-recognized astrophysicist, science TV personality, and global education advocate who has had a long, distinguished career in academia and scientific research.
Most recently, he was stationed at NASA Headquarters, where he served as an Astrophysicist and Space Science Education Lead for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. In addition, he was a professor of Aerospace, Physics, and Space Sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology since 2007. A former TED fellow, Dr. Oluseyi holds three degrees, eight U.S. patents, four E.U. patents, and co-hosts several shows on Science Channel and Discovery International, including Outrageous Acts of Science, How the Universe Works, Space’s Deepest Secrets, Strange Evidence, You Have Been Warned, and Strip the Cosmos. Dr. Oluseyi’s success is even more impressive given his incredible personal background and story. Motivating audiences globally with his message of persevering past naysayers, self-doubt, and seemingly immovable obstacles, he is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau.
Dr. Oluseyi grew up in some of the roughest neighborhoods in this country; he changed schools roughly 10 times in seven years. Living in chaotic circumstances led him to spend most of his time indoors reading and watching PBS nature shows. Discovering a love of science and a fascination with Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, Dr. Oluseyi decided to teach himself these principles of science. He became determined to become a scientist and overcame incredible odds to earn 3 degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics from Tougaloo College, and a Master’s and Ph.D. in Physics from Stanford University. After finishing up with school, Dr. Oluseyi worked at one of Silicon Valley’s most successful companies and did research on manufacturing computer chips. His inventions can be found in the computer chips you use every day. Sharing his roller-coaster ride of success and the setbacks he faced along the way, Dr. Oluseyi inspires audiences around the world to chase their dreams no matter how unlikely they may seem.
As NASA’s Space Education Lead, he was responsible for co-managing 27 SMD Science Activation cooperative agreements totaling more than $40M. He also provided strategic and scientific advising for SMD investments in STEM Education, Citizen Science, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Strategic Communications. His scientific research is based on “hacking stars” to develop innovative new technologies and better understand our universe. Leveraging techniques for interpreting electromagnetic radiation, laboratory plasma physics, computational modeling, machine learning, time-domain informatics, big data analytics, and high-performance computing, Dr. Oluseyi’s work has resulted in 12 patents, and ~80 publications covering contributions to astrophysics, cosmology, semiconductor manufacturing, and ion propulsion. His science education research has resulted in highly effective and efficient, divergent techniques for teaching mathematics and physics to learners of all ages.
In addition to being the president of the National Society of Black Physicists, Dr. Oluseyi has won several honors including selection as a 2018 Communications Award from the National Space Club, 2015 MIT Faculty Fellow, 2015 induction into the National Black College Alumni Hallo of Fame, 2012 TED Global Fellow, a 2011 and 2013 U.S. State Department Speaker & Specialist, the Outstanding Technical Innovation and Best Paper at the 2010 NSBE Aerospace Systems Conference, the 2006 Physics Technical Achiever of the Year by the National Technical Association, a 2005 NASA Earth/Sun Science New Investigator Fellow, the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation Astrophysics Research Fellow, the Ernest O. Lawrence Astrophysics Research Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2001-2003), and as a NASA GSRP Fellow at Stanford University.
Dr. Oluseyi is one of the world’s most popular educators and science communicators. He regularly appears on news programs and has won or been nominated for several awards for science reporting including one Emmy nomination and four Webby Awards.
