NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins headlines Celebration of Science

Sept. 8, 2025 — DENTON — NASA astronaut (retired) and molecular biologist Kate Rubins, PhD, will be keynote speaker at Texas Woman’s University's  Celebration of Science Oct. 16-17.

A pioneering space scientist, Rubins made history in 2016 when she became the first person to sequence DNA in space, accomplishing this feat aboard the International Space Station.

With two missions to the ISS under her belt, Rubins has spent 300 days in orbit, conducted four spacewalks and led groundbreaking research on in-flight molecular diagnostics and astronaut health. Her work has paved the way for future exploration, enabling real-time biological analysis in space and making crucial advances in how we can monitor health beyond Earth.

The Celebration of Science is presented by TWU’s School of the Sciences.