The Mars Society is pleased to announce that renowned planetary scientist Dr. Ashwin Vasavada will serve as a plenary speaker at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.
Dr. Vasavada is a leading expert on Mars exploration and currently serves as Project Scientist for NASA’s Curiosity rover mission at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Over the course of his distinguished career, he has played a major role in advancing scientific understanding of the Martian climate, geology, and surface environment, helping guide some of NASA’s most important robotic missions to the Red Planet.
As part of the convention’s plenary program, Dr. Vasavada is expected to discuss the latest discoveries from Curiosity, the future of robotic and human Mars exploration, and the scientific challenges and opportunities awaiting future missions. His participation adds to an expanding roster of prominent scientists, engineers, researchers, and industry leaders scheduled to speak at what is expected to be the world’s largest Mars-focused conference of 2026.
The 2026 International Mars Society Convention will offer both in-person and virtual attendance options, featuring plenary talks, panel discussions, technical tracks, networking opportunities, and public engagement activities focused on humanity’s future on Mars. For additional information, registration details, and convention updates, please visit The Mars Society.
