Chris Sembroski Keynote Speaker

Chris Sembroski is one of the four astronauts of Inspiration4, which was the first all-civilian mission to orbit the earth in September 2021. Inspiration4 spent three days in orbit and raised over $250 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A one-time U.S. Space Camp counselor who built high-power model rockets as a child, Sembroski attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Professional Aeronautics. He served in the U.S. Air Force, both in the Iraq War and later in a domestic posting attending to the white-knuckle business of maintaining a fleet of nuclear Minuteman missiles. He also volunteered his time with ProSpace, a nonprofit lobbying group advocating for the very legislation that opened up the private spaceflight market to companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. He now works as an Avionics Engineer for New Glenn at Blue Origin LLC., in Kent, Washington.

In his career, Sembroski has sought innovative, industry-disrupting methods to monitor and maintain mechanical equipment, making everything from data centers to hospitals more efficient. He loves discovering insights in data and driving action that generate meaningful and measurable results. Whether the subject is the history of America’s space program, energy management in mechanical systems, data analysis, or the future of human spaceflight, Chris makes the complex relatable while inspiring students and professionals at all levels to take proactive action. He continues to pursue his passion of a future where we all can go to space. Sembroski strives to inspire the next generation by promoting STEAM-based education and encouraging others to follow their own passions.