Gretchen W. McClain, former deputy associate administrator for space development at NASA
The J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah is pleased to welcome Gretchen W. McClain, the former deputy associate administrator for space development at NASA, as this year’s lecturer for the William R. and Erlyn J. Gould Distinguished Lecture on Technology and the Quality of Life. McClain’s lecture is titled, “Space Innovation: Why society needs the creativity and collaboration of space exploration today more than ever.”
McClain is an accomplished business leader who thrives on energizing organizations and building businesses by enhancing innovation and developing exceptional leadership talent. She has more than 25 years of global experience in both Fortune 500 corporations and government service, including serving as founding CEO of an S&P 500 global water technology company, Xylem Inc. and NASA’s chief director of the International Space Station. She has been awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the Fortune 1000 CEO.
McClain will share her insights on the value of creating technologies that have come from the space programs, as well as the many other advances that space exploration has contributed to business and society—from the ways we innovate and problem solve, to the ways we create social value and collaborate. She will share her experiences overseeing the first joint U.S.-Soviet missions and the building of the International Space Station and serving as a top business executive. She will also pose critical questions on the future of space exploration.
A graduate from the U with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, McClain received the U’s prestigious Founders Award in 2015. She was inducted into the Utah Technology Council Hall of Fame and is the first woman to have received this honor.
Lecture details:
“Space Innovation: Why society needs the creativity and collaboration of space exploration today more than ever”
Wednesday, Sept. 21, 12-1 p.m.
The University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Library, Gould Auditorium, Level 1
Parking and directions
This marks the 22nd annual William R. and Erlyn J. Gould Distinguished Lecture on Technology and the Quality of Life.
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