Dates
Open class with keynote speaker: details TBD
Keynote speaker: March 27, 2025, 7:30 p.m., Smith Hall Theatre at Randolph College
Free, no tickets required.
Dr. Moogega Cooper, NASA Planetary Protection Engineer
The Keynote is always the highlight of SciFest weekend!
We are so excited to have Planetary Protection Engineer, Dr. Moogega Cooper, as our keynote speaker for SciFest 2025!
A real life “Guardian of the Galaxy,” Dr. Moogega “Moo” Cooper holds the awesome responsibility of keeping the red planet safe from any of the Earth’s contaminants. Moo is the planetary protection lead of the famed NASA 2020 Mars mission—with it’s highly viewed landing on February 18, 2021. Her work with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is integral to the ongoing mission to discern whether Mars could be habitable for humans and that we don’t harm what’s already there—a job she has been working up to for most of her life.
After graduating from high school at 16, Cooper studied physics as an undergraduate, received a master’s degree and went on to earn her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at 24 years old with a dissertation on spacecraft materials.
Moo is passionate about empowering organizations and others to achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles that she articulately conveys through her life story and love of her work. A role model for women in science and technology, she is also passionate about introducing more people to the wonders of the STEAM world, including by talking about her work to boys and girls from underrepresented communities and appearing on shows like Because Space and Bill Nye Saves the World.
Moo is a recipient of several awards, including the NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal, the Charles Elachi Award for Exceptional Early Career Achievement, and JPL Voyager Awards for Technical Leadership.
We look forward to having her here to share her story and work with our solar system exploration!
The 2025 Keynote Event is graciously sponsored by BWXT, our long-time local sponsor for SciFest. BWXT has strong connections to NASA and is excited to support Dr. Moo’s program!
Past Keynote Speakers
- 2024: Grace Stanke, Nuclear Engineer and 2023 Miss America
- 2023: Greg Kennedy, Innovative Juggler
- 2022: Joe Hanson, “PBS’s It’s Okay To Be Smart”
- 2021: James Kakalios (virtual)
- 2020: James Kakalios (postponed)
- 2019: Robert J. Lang, “From Flapping Birds to Space Telescopes: The Art and Science of Origami”
- 2018: Nicholas Perna,” Science of the Voice”
- 2017: Greg Kennedy, Innovative Juggler
- 2016: Nicholas Giordano, “Physics of the Piano”
- 2015: Rebecca Thompson, American Physical Society, “Physics of Frozen”
- 2014: Leland Melvin, NASA astronaut
- 2013: Don Lincoln, Fermilab and Higgs Boson scientist
- 2012: Michael Shermer, Science writer
- 2011: Ken Laws, physics of dance expert, and Randolph College dancers
- 2010: Lisa Heinzerling, EPA associate administrator
- 2009: Dr. Pete Caprice, orthopedic surgeon