Thesis Defense by Dr. Denise Meeks on Friday, April 25th
Space Studies Master’s student, Dr. Denise Meeks, will defend her thesis as follows. Please show your support by attending.
When: Friday, April 25th, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. (Central)
Where: Ryan Hall, Room 111
Title: Space Tourism Law: Lessons from Aviation, Antarctica, and the International Space Station
About the Topic: Space tourism has economic, social, and educational benefits, however, unresolved legal issues remain that need to be addressed on state and international levels in order for space tourism to succeed and for these benefits to be realized. Space treaties do not address and federal laws have impeded space tourism efforts. Aviation industry regulations, Antarctic treaties, and International Space Station agreements serve as models to guide the space tourism. In the future, however, the space tourism industry will create its own legal regime based on the technical expertise of its practitioners and the social mores of its participants.
BIO: Denise has a bachelor’s degree in astronomy and physics from the University of Arizona, a master’s in Systems Engineering, also from the University of Arizona, a doctorate in Math and Computer Science Curriculum and Instruction from Northern Arizona University, and a second master’s in Geosciences from Mississippi State University. She has been a college professor for 25 years, teaching astronomy, physics, mathematics, and computer science, and has been the campus Science Department Chair for the last eleven years. She is a member of the Faculty Senate, is an Arizona NASA Space Grant mentor, and participates in many STEM outreach events for the southern Arizona community. Denise is retiring in the fall, moving permanently to the Big Island of Hawai’i and will be working as a consultant for the Hawai’i Department of Education, establishing the Hawai’i State Science Olympiad on the west side of the Big Island, and volunteering with the Hawai’i Marine Mammal Center in Kona. Denise and her husband, Dr. Robert Meeks, Project Manager/Engineer, Keck Observatory, have an adorable cat, Adrastea.
******Those unable to attend in person may view the live webcast******
1) A live webcast which includes PowerPoint slides will be available here. Please note: this option is currently not operational on portable devices/tablets.
2) A simple live webcast is also available here