The Mars Society extends its deepest gratitude to the sponsors of the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention. Their generous support made it possible to bring together an exceptional community of experts, students, and space enthusiasts from around the world, both in-person and virtually — all united in advancing the cause of Mars exploration and human spaceflight. “Our sponsors make this convention possible each year.” said James Burk, Executive Director of the Mars Society. “Their support helps us connect the… READ MORE >
Topic Area: USC
The New York Times just featured our 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention at USC in an in-depth article! From packed panels to spirited discussions, the piece captures the excitement and momentum of our recent gathering in Los Angeles. By Alex Vadukul, New York Times, Oct. 15, 2025 On the campus of the University of Southern California, the morning sun illuminated an inflatable replica of a white space station fit for human habitation. The little sign next to it declared: “Mars:… READ MORE >
The Mars Society and its leadership team led by Dr. Robert Zubrin (President) and James Burk (Executive Director) would like to sincerely thank everyone who joined us for the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, held on the University of Southern California (USC) campus in Los Angeles from October 9–11, 2025. Your enthusiasm, curiosity, and engagement made this year’s gathering truly special. We’re grateful to all who attended the inspiring talks and panel discussions featuring leading scientists, policymakers, and aerospace… READ MORE >
**Update from the Mars Society Convention Team** “Houston, we have a problem.” Unfortunately, the USC A/V team is experiencing technical difficulties with the livestream for the sessions at the 2025 International Mars Society Convention. While we won’t be able to stream the talks live, all sessions are being recorded and will be uploaded to our YouTube channel soon for everyone to watch. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. Please stay tuned here and on our website… READ MORE >
The Mars Society invites everyone with a passion for Mars and space exploration to take part in the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, happening October 9–11, 2025 at the University of Southern California (Taper Hall – THH201) in Los Angeles. The event is open to a global audience, with both in-person and virtual participation available. Over the course of three days, the convention will feature an extraordinary lineup of distinguished speakers and thought leaders who will share the latest… READ MORE >
This October 9–11, 2025, USC will host the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, bringing together leading voices in Mars science, space technology, policy, and advocacy from around the globe. We’re now inviting companies, foundations, and individuals to partner with us as sponsors to help make this pivotal gathering a success—and to share in the spotlight. Together with Boeing, Archipelago Space Research, and other sponsors, you’ll be front and center among visionaries in science, engineering, policy, and space advocacy. Sponsoring… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is pleased to announce the release of the program itinerary for its 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, which will be held October 9–11, 2025 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Widely recognized as the premier international conference on Mars and space exploration, the convention will bring together an extraordinary roster of scientists, engineers, aerospace leaders, policymakers, and advocates for three days of discussion about humanity’s future in space. The program will cover a… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is honored to announce that Dr. Hoppy Price, Chief Engineer for NASA’s Robotic Mars Exploration Program, will deliver an in-person presentation at the 2025 International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 9-11, at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. With decades of experience across NASA’s most ambitious planetary missions, Dr. Price brings unparalleled insight into the engineering challenges and possibilities of exploring Mars. The theme of his talk will be “Concepts for Future Robotic Mars… READ MORE >
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Victoria E. Hamilton, Chairperson of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG), will be a featured plenary speaker at the 2025 International Mars Society Convention, to be held this October at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. A distinguished planetary geologist with the Southwest Research Institute, Dr. Hamilton’s expertise spans the mineralogy of planetary surfaces, meteorites, and returned samples—specializing in infrared spectroscopy of Mars, Earth, and even Venus. After earning her degree in… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Tasia Cobbs, a graphic artist and entrepreneur from Twin Falls, Idaho, has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Mars Society Poster Contest. Known professionally as “TASIA,” Tasia is a registered Choctaw artist with a strong passion for technology, space, and the effort to make humanity a multi-planetary species. Her dynamic and visionary poster design will be used as a key promotional graphic for the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention,… READ MORE >
Dr. Tiffany Vora—scientist, entrepreneur, and VP of Innovation Partnerships at Explore Mars—will deliver a plenary talk at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9–11, 2025, at the University of Southern California. Her talk, “Harnessing Synthetic Biology on Mars,” will explore how cutting-edge advances in biology, engineering, and manufacturing can support long-term human exploration and settlement of the Red Planet. Drawing on the work of the Explore Mars Synthetic Biology Working Group, Dr. Vora will outline how… READ MORE >
Dr. Erika DeBenedictis, CEO of Pioneer Labs and a Resident at the Astera Institute, will be giving a plenary talk at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9–11, 2025, at the University of Southern California (USC). Her talk, titled “Opportunities for a Green Human Civilization on Mars,” will explore how principles of evolution and biological engineering can be applied to building sustainable life beyond Earth. Dr. DeBenedictis is also the lead author of a new research… READ MORE >
We’re excited to announce that Dex Hunter-Torricke will be a featured plenary speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9-11, 2025, at USC in Los Angeles. A veteran strategist and communicator at the highest levels of tech and global leadership, Dex has spent the past two decades shaping the public messaging of major figures and companies at the forefront of innovation. He previously served as Head of Communications at SpaceX, where he worked directly with… READ MORE >
Rob Manning, one of NASA JPL’s most accomplished and respected engineers, will deliver the Friday evening keynote at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9-11, 2025, at USC in Los Angeles. His address is scheduled for the evening of Friday, October 10th. With a career spanning more than three decades at JPL, Rob has helped shape nearly every phase of modern Mars exploration. He served as Chief Engineer for Mars Pathfinder, where he led the Entry,… READ MORE >
We’re excited to welcome back Dr. Abigail Fraeman as a plenary speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9–11 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Dr. Fraeman is a Research Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and currently serves as the Deputy Project Scientist for the Mars Science Laboratory mission, home to the Curiosity rover. In her plenary talk, she will provide a compelling update on Curiosity’s latest discoveries as it continues… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is honored to welcome Dr. Bhavya Lal, Professor at the RAND School of Public Policy and former NASA Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, as a plenary speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9-11, 2025, at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. Dr. Lal, a renowned expert in space policy, strategy, and nuclear systems, will address the convention on Strategic Options for U.S. Space Nuclear Leadership. Drawing… READ MORE >
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Kris Zacny, Vice President and Director of Exploration Technology at Honeybee Robotics (an American subsidiary of Blue Origin), will be a featured speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 9–11, 2025 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. As a senior research scientist with expertise in planetary robotic systems for life detection, planetary mining, mobility, surface power, and structures, Dr. Zacny offers invaluable insights into advancing… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is very pleased to announce that Dr. Vandi Verma, a trailblazer in space robotics and autonomous systems from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will deliver a plenary address at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention. This exciting event will take place at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles from October 9–11, 2025 and promises to be a highlight for those passionate about advancing Mars exploration. Dr. Verma brings a wealth of experience from her groundbreaking… READ MORE >
Get ready, Mars enthusiasts! The 2025 International Mars Society Convention is set for Thursday-Saturday, October 9–11 at USC (University of Southern California) in Los Angeles—its 28th year as the premier global conference on Mars exploration, human settlement planning, and cutting-edge space technologies. As the U.S. government announces its intention to make a near-term human mission to Mars the central goal of America’s space program, the convention’s theme “Mars: The Time has Come” will be right on target. Join leading scientists,… READ MORE >