NASA Planetary Geologist Adriana Ocampo to Speak at UT Oct. 21

On Friday, Oct. 21, The University of Tampa will welcome Adriana Ocampo, NASA planetary geologist, who will discuss her science and life experiences as part of the annual Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) National Hispanic Scientist of the Year (NHSOY) event.

Ocampo’s talk, “Cosmic Collisions and Dinosaurs,” will be held in the Trustees Board Room on the ninth floor of the Vaughn Center and is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the talk will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m.

Ocampo, who was named the 2016 MOSI National Hispanic Scientist of the Year, was the first to identify the impact crater from the asteroid that likely caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. She is now the leader of NASA’s New Frontiers effort, including the New Horizons mission to Pluto and Juno mission to Jupiter, and NASA’s lead scientist for exploration of planet Venus.

She will also meet with students, faculty and guests, including 40 Hillsborough High School science students and their teachers who will be in attendance.

For more information, contact Steve Kucera, UT associate professor of biology, at skucera@ut.edu or (813) 257-3324.

The event is co-sponsored by The University of Tampa Honors Program in conjunction with the MOSI NHSOY Award.