Space Workforce Meet Up

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  "publish_at": "2026-02-18T12:55:00.000-06:00",
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  "date": "2026-03-13",
  "end_time": "2026-03-13T15:30:00.000-05:00",
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      "company": "Space Workforce Incubator For Texas",
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      "name": "Leon Vanstone",
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      "details": "Dr. Vanstone is a leading figure in aerospace innovation and science communication. As the former founder of the Texas Rocket Engineering Lab (TREL), one of the nation’s premier student-led rocket programs, he has trained the next generation of engineers while contributing to groundbreaking advancements in experimental hypersonics and scramjet technology.\r\rPassionate about making science accessible to everyone, Vanstone has delivered several TEDx talks and continues to champion the idea that science is for all. In his role as a Cofounder and Vice President of the Space Workforce Incubator for Texas (SWIFT), builds on his vision to unite engineering, experimentation, and communication. SWIFT aims to cultivate top space talent while addressing critical national security and aerospace challenges.\r\rAs a rocket scientist, storyteller, and entrepreneur whose uncommon breadth of experience spanning academia, the boardroom, startups, and nonprofits lets him move easily between deep technical work and big-picture strategy. Leon’s work reflects his belief in the power of curiosity and collaboration, inspiring others to dream big and contribute to the future of space exploration.\r",
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      "details": "Geoff Tudor is President of the Space Workforce Incubator for Texas (SWIFT), a non-profit dedicated to ensuring Texas is the global leader in the space workforce. Geoff started his career as Legislative Director to Congressman Lamar Smith, former Chairman of the House Science Committee. While on Capitol Hill, Geoff authored the first commercial space launch amendments to enable scientific payloads to fly on private rockets. He led Congressional funding for the Clementine Lunar Mission that discovered evidence of ice on the Moon, as well as funding for the Delta Clipper, the first rocket to demonstrate reusability.\r\rAfter his time in Congress, Geoff moved to Austin and received his MBA from the University of Texas. While at UT, he started GNS Software, which was acquired by Symantec. He then co-founded the cloud storage company Nirvanix, which was acquired by Oracle. Today, in addition to leading SWIFT, he leads global cloud storage solutions go-to-market at NetApp, a $6 billion publicly traded technology company.",
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  "description": "Texas has always been the frontier of America’s biggest ideas - from cattle drives to microchips, music revolutions to moonshots. In 2026, the frontier is shifting upward, and the call for the New Space Cowboy is here.  In this era of commercial space, the next giant leap won’t be driven by astronauts, but welders, coders, machinists, technicians, scientists, mission operators, and dreamers. And no place on Earth is better positioned to cultivate this next gen of talent. Join the Space Workforce Incubator for Texas for a meetup that blends the spirit of the Wild West with the future's promise.",
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  "long_description": "Texas has always been the frontier of America’s biggest ideas - from cattle drives to microchips, music revolutions to moonshots. In 2026, the frontier is shifting upward, and the call for the New Space Cowboy is here.  In this era of commercial space, the next giant leap won’t be driven by astronauts, but welders, coders, machinists, technicians, scientists, mission operators, and dreamers. And no place on Earth is better positioned to cultivate this next gen of talent. Join the Space Workforce Incubator for Texas for a meetup that blends the spirit of the Wild West with the future's promise.",
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