KINGSTON, R.I. – Aug. 20, 2026 – From black holes and distant exoplanets to gravitational waves rippling through the universe, and aspiring to travel to Mars and back to the moon, the cosmos teems with mysteries that both inspire awe and demand answers.
Several national space and astrophysics experts—including some with ties to NASA—will visit the University of Rhode Island this fall to examine the science of outer space for the URI Honors Program’s 63rd annual Honors Colloquium, titled “Interstellar Exploration: Journey Beyond Your Limits.”
Twelve speakers in this year’s Honors Colloquium will step beyond the safe familiar horizon of our planet to explore what awaits in space. From ethics, human rights and our future in space being tied together, to space and the law, to understanding how to achieve the impossible, and discussing realistic interstellar travel, this series will inspire the public to take their fascination of outer space to the next level.
This year’s series will begin Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 5:30 p.m., with Les Johnson, physicist, author, CEO of Infinite Frontiers Consulting, and former chief technologist at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. Johnson’s talk will be how realistic interstellar travel is, and the challenges of distance, time and known physics related to such travel.
While with NASA, Johnson helped develop next-generational space technologies, from advanced space propulsion and power to human life-support systems. He also served as principal investigator for spaceflight demonstrations of solar sails, tethers and other technologies.
Along with penning several science fiction books, Johnson is the co-editor of a three-volume technical monograph series detailing complex technical and social problems associated with future interstellar travel. His popular science book “A Traveler’s Guide to the Stars” is available in seven languages. Johnson is also a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, the British Interplanetary Society, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and MENSA.
Honors Colloquium lectures will be held Tuesdays through Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. in Edwards Hall, 64 Upper College Road, on the Kingston Campus. The lectures are free and open to the public—registration is required to attend the lectures. All lectures will be livestreamed and registration is required to receive stream links.
This year’s program is coordinated by URI Department of Physics Chair Leonard Kahn, and physics professors Douglas Gobeille and Robert Coyne. Kahn’s research has spanned several areas, including surface physics, superconductivity, hydrogen in metals, and nonlinear optics and photonics. Both Coyne and Gobeille helped develop URI’s astrophysics program, which prioritizes student engagement and focuses strictly on research work into black holes, gravitational waves, multi-messenger astronomy and the evolution of quasars.
Kahn says the idea of space travel has always captivated the public, whether it’s landing rovers on Mars or NASA’s recent Artemis II mission of flying by the moon for the first time since 1972—or even science fiction in pop culture. He hopes this year’s colloquium will not only help the public better understand the importance of traveling to outer space, but also allow the public to have a say on the matter.
“Through this colloquium series, we aim to spark the public’s imagination and investigate the vast opportunities that space exploration presents,” Kahn said. “Our speakers will offer insights into humanity’s quest to understand what lies beyond Earth and show how everyday citizens can be part of that effort. Fostering an informed and engaged public is, after all, the mission of the Honors Colloquium.”
Colloquium rundown
Following the Sept. 15 kick-off, the series will delve into additional interstellar exploration topics. Lecturers scheduled to speak are:
- Sept. 22: Mae Jemison, former NASA astronaut, co-founder and principal partner of Signal Hill Road Publishing LLC, and principal of 100 Year Starship in Houston.
- Sept. 29: Robert Zubrin, author, president of Pioneer Astronautics and founder of the Mars Society.
- Oct. 6: Tanya Harrison, planetary scientist, and fellow of the Outer Space Institute.
- Oct. 13: Timiebi Aganaba, international lawyer, assistant professor and founder of the Space Governance Lab at Arizona State University.
- Oct. 20: Philip Lubin, physics professor at the University of California Santa Barbara whose group developed more than two dozen ground and balloon missions and helped develop two major cosmology satellites.
- Oct. 27: Lisa Kaltenegger, founding director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University.
- Nov. 3: Erika Nesvold, currently an astrophysics engineer for Universe Sandbox, a physics-based space simulator and video game.
- Nov. 10: Jamie Rankin, research scientist at Princeton University.
- Nov. 17: Marc Kuchner, astrophysicist and the Citizen Science Officer for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
- Dec. 1: Ved Chirayath, G. Unger Vetlesen Endowed Chair and professor of earth sciences, mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Miami.
- Dec. 8: Paul Sutter, cosmologist at Johns Hopkins University and an advisor to NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts Program.
Honors Colloquium festivities will also include sci-fi movie nights on the University’s Quadrangle on Sept. 14 and Sept. 28. Both presentations will be at 7 p.m.
Additionally, Steven Penell, URI coordinator of arts and culture and gallery director, will host a space-themed art exhibit titled “Liminality: Before, During, After,” from Sept. 21 through Dec. 9 in the third- and fourth-floor lobbies of Lippitt Hall, 5 Lippitt Road. The exhibit will feature a visual display of multimedia works from several artists delving into the ambiguous nature of human existence and the spaces we occupy before, during, and after transformation.
There will also be a reception as part of the exhibit on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 5-7 p.m. on Lippitt Hall’s fourth floor. Plus, URI will host a community book read of “Atmospheres,” the new book by New York Times best-selling author Taylor Jenkins Reid. The novel is set against the backdrop of the 1980s NASA space shuttle program about the lengths people go to live and love beyond their limits. A date and time for the community read will be announced at a later date.
This 2026 Honors Colloquium invites the URI community into a bold, thought-provoking conversation that bridges cutting-edge science and the boundless imagination of science fiction.
“This year’s Honors Colloquium and accompanying events combine audacious science with humanistic inquiry, inviting us to consider not only how we might travel farther into the universe, but why—and to what ends,” URI Honors Program Director Karen de Bruin said. “In our stressful times of political conflict, environmental stress, and economic uncertainty, the Colloquium invites us to look to the stars and imagine new possibilities.”
COVERAGE NOTE: Media are welcome to attend and should contact James Bessette at 401-874-3520 or james.bessette@uri.edu to register or arrange interviews.
Video links to the lectures will be available on the Honors Colloquium website the day of each event. For the full roster of colloquium speakers and sponsors, visit the 2026 Honors Colloquium site. Sign up here or email urihonors@etal.uri.edu for more information and reminders for colloquium events. Additional information about URI’s Honors Program can be found on its website.