Mike Massimino to Deliver Closing Keynote at VPPPA Safety+ Symposium 2025
Former NASA astronaut, professor, and author Mike Massimino will share insights on leadership, resilience, and teamwork during the 41st annual Safety+ Symposium's closing session.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Aug 12, 2025
VPPPA is pleased to announce that Mike Massimino, former NASA astronaut and bestselling author, will serve as the Closing Keynote Speaker at the 2025 Safety+ Symposium, taking place Thursday, August 14.
Massimino is a veteran of two space shuttle missions to service the Hubble Space Telescope, completing four spacewalks to help extend the life of the historic observatory. He was the first person to send a tweet from space and has since continued his work in science, education, and public outreach.
He currently serves as Senior Adviser for Space Programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and as a professor at Columbia University. He is also a frequent contributor to television, appearing on news and talk shows, as well as in a recurring role on The Big Bang Theory.
Massimino’s keynote will address the importance of teamwork, resilience, and leadership in high-pressure environments, drawing on his unique experiences in space and beyond. His remarks will close out the 41st annual Safety+ Symposium.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco brings a strong and varied journalism background to her role at Occupational Health & Safety, having previously served as a multimedia editor, broadcast journalist, professor and reviewer across major news organizations. As Content Editor, she writes news and feature articles, hosts sponsor and editorial webinars, co-hosts the SafetyPod worker health and safety podcast, and manages the brand’s digital and social media presence. She is committed to informing and engaging the safety community through compelling reporting and conversations that support safer, healthier workplaces.