February 10-11, 2026 schedule

“Space: International Collaboration and Competition”

February 10-11, 2026

USF-SP University Student Center

Location: 200 – 6th Avenue South, 2nd Floor

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

February 10-11, 2026

USF-St. Petersburg,  University Student Center, 2nd Floor
200-6th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

4:15 pm : Doors Open
5:15 pm : Conference Welcome
  • SPWAC Board President Lynne Platt
  • USF-St. Petersburg Regional Chancellor Dr. Thomas Smith
5:25 pm : Introduction of keynote Speaker
  • St. Petersburg Innovation Director Executive Director Alison Barlow
5:30 pm : Keynote Address NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott
  • Photo Opportunities, Book Signing, Networking Meet-and-Greet with Conference Speakers
6:30 pm : Keynote Events Conclude
6:30 – 8:00 pm : Reception for Speakers and VIPs (by invitation)

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

7:30 am : Doors Open, Coffee and Networking
8:30 am : Opening Remarks
  • SPWAC Board President Lynne Platt
  • St. Petersburg City Council Chair Lisset Hanewicz
  • USF-St. Petersburg Student Governor Elise Prophete
  • USF-GNSI Executive Director General (ret.) Frank McKenzie
8:45 am : Fireside Chat — Eduardo Cue interviews NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott
10:00 am : Panel 1. Fly Me to the Moon: A Platform for Understanding the Universe

Moderator:       Dr. Martin Elvis (Harvard – Smithosonian)

Speakers:

  • Dr. James Green (former NASA Chief Scientist)
  • Dr. Joseph Silk (Sorbonne / JHU)
  • Dr. Jack Burns (University of Colorado Space Policy Institute)
11:15 am : Panel 2. Orbital Tensions: Policing the Final Frontier

Moderator:       Dr. Tad Schnaufer (USF-GNSI)

Speakers:

  • Dr. Namrata Goswami (Johns Hopkins University)
  • Dr. Jeffrey Collins (University of Prince Edward Island)
  • Dr. Peter Garretson (American Foreign Policy Council)
12:15 – 1:30 pm : No-Host Lunch (except for VIP Ticketholders)
1:30  pm : Panel 3. Countries, Companies and Competition in the New Space Race

Moderator:       Dr. Namrata Goswami (Johns Hopkins University)

Speakers :

  • Dr. Martin Elvis (Harvard – Smithsonian)
  • Mohammed Soliman (Middle East Institute & McLarty Associates)
  • Kevin Strait (Anzen Legal Group)
2:45 pm :  Panel 4. International/British Aerospace Businesses in Florida: Opportunity and Possibility

Moderator : David Lenox, Esquire (President of the British American Business Council Central Florida )

Speakers :

  • Tom Kelly (CEO Evona)
  • Ksenia Moskalenko (Florida High-Tech Corridor)
  • Christopher Stott (Founder and now Non-Executive Chair of River Advisers (formerly ManSat), Founder and CEO Lonestar Holdings)
3:50 pm : Wrap-up and Thanks
4:00 pm :  Networking

No-Host Event @ The Hangar Restaurant, Albert Whitted Airport

540 First Street SE, St. Petersburg 33701 – near the Dali Museum

Parking Garage : 250-5th Avenue South, Levels 2-4, ParkMobile Zone 38015, $5 per day

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