Space Exploration Symposium 2026

AI interpretation of terraforming Mars

November 18–20, 2026

Student Innovation Centre, North Campus,
University of Alberta

Featuring student and researcher presentations.

  

The Search for Signs of Life Beyond Earth

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sara Seager, North Star Distinguished Professor, University of Toronto

November 19 2026 - 19:00

Muttart Theatre, Stanley Milner Library
7 Sir Winston Churchill Square

 

For thousands of years, inspired by the starry night sky, humanity has wondered about what lies beyond Earth. Today, the search for signs of life is a key motivator in planetary exploration. Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets orbiting stars other than the Sun and are studying their atmospheres for gases that could indicate life. Closer to home, renewed interest in Venus has led to investigations of its cloud layers, where temperatures are right for life. New discoveries in both exoplanets and Solar System bodies are bringing us closer to answering ancient questions about life beyond Earth. Professor Sara Seager will share the latest advances in this exciting field.

 

Made possible by the BETA Dialogues Endowment for Space Science, Ethics, and Philosophy.
Generously sponsored by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Edmonton Centre

 

 

ISSET Industry Mixer

November 20, 2026 - 18:30

ICE Incubator, North Campus,
University of Alberta