More than 100 researchers, faculty, industry representatives, alumni, and students came together on April 14 to explore the future of space research and exploration at the 2025 Yuri's Day Symposium. Hosted by Georgia Tech’s Space Research Initiative (SRI), Yuri’s Day serves as an annual celebration of space research across the Institute, the state of Georgia, and beyond. It built on the success of Yuri’s Day 2024, and was designed to be interactive and drive participation through panel discussions, a poster session, and networking opportunities.

The day began with opening remarks from Georgia Tech’s Executive Vice President of Research Tim Lieuwen, Vice President of Interdisciplinary Research Julia Kubanek, and the SRI executive committee, comprised of Professor Glenn Lightsey and Associate Professors Mariel Borowitz and Jennifer Glass. They provided an update on the SRI's latest achievements and its elevation to the Space Research Institute, one of Georgia Tech’s Interdisciplinary Research Institutes, on July 1.

“Space research is much broader than building spacecraft…it includes science, policy, business, and culture. We are here to celebrate all aspects of space research at Georgia Tech,” said Lightsey.

Borowitz lead a panel discussion on the implications of current space policies and the role of academic institutions in shaping the future of space exploration. It highlighted the importance of policy decisions in advancing space research and ensuring sustainable development. Jonathan Goldman, director of Quadrant-i at Georgia Tech, and his panel of entrepreneurs then discussed the commercialization of space technologies and the opportunities arising. They shared how collaboration between academia and industry can drive innovation and bring these new technologies to market.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) organized a space poster session during the lunch break to provide insight into the various space research projects happening there. This networking opportunity highlighted the breadth of work at GTRI and enabled researchers and students to present their projects to attendees. 

The Keynote speaker, Georgia Tech Alumnus Griff Russell, M.S. ME 1999, president of Gryphon Effect, LLC, and former SpaceX executive, shared his personal journey to inspire future researchers. His talk, “From a letter to an astronaut to the trenches of Falcon 9 and beyond: Setting the foundation for accelerated Moon to Mars exploration” followed Russell’s path to the space industry, chronicling a letter he wrote to an astronaut in grade school to his current role as an entrepreneur. Russell shared his thoughts on the future of space exploration and encouraged students in the room to move fast and develop innovative new space technologies. “The time is now for you to make a difference,” he said. 

Professor Thom Orlando then led a panel of experts from other Georgia universities on the Human Space Initiative in the State of Georgia. Orlando and the panelists discussed the state's contributions to human spaceflight and the potential for future missions. This was followed by a panel on Earth analog field studies led by Assistant Professor Frances Rivera-Hernandez. Panelists including students explained how studying Earth analogs, like lava tubes and deserts, can help researchers better understand other planetary environments. Georgia Tech graduate students gave brief presentations chronicling recent fieldtrips and the data they gather in the field. The final session of the day led by Professor Lightsey showcased Georgia Tech’s space-related student organizations and the importance of engaging the next generation of scientists and engineers in space exploration.

As the Space Research Initiative transitions into the Space Research Institute, Georgia Tech is prepared to lead groundbreaking research, and Yuri’s Day gave attendees a preview of things to come. For more information about the SRI and the research at Georgia Tech, visit our website.