Kenneth Harris II
Speaker at GOTOpia Europe 2020

Satellite Builder and TED Speaker

Detecting light from stars billions of light-years away.

  • Led the team that integrated the main science component of the Webb Telescope.
  • Lead Engineer for the NASA J2 Joint Polar Satellite System.
  • Involved in the project of sending a probe to the sun.
  • Acknowledged by Forbes Magazine amongst the world’s youngest and most impactful individuals in the field of science.

Don't miss this keynote.

"As engineers and scientists it is my belief that we have the responsibility to make ourselves open to the unexpected. Allowing our curiosity to fuel thoughtful questions and impactful research, that will enable the next generation of explorers to go even further than us." -Kenneth Harris II, 2020

Talks at GOTOpia Europe 2020

Acknowledged by Forbes Magazine amongst the world’s youngest and most impactful individuals in the field of science, Kenneth F. Harris II is known for delivering thoughtful and dynamic leadership on programs of critical national and international importance.

Kenneth is a Senior Project Engineer for The Aerospace Corporation contributing to both DoD and NASA payload missions. In this role, he is responsible for developing procedures and implementing processes to defend on orbit satellites from physical and cyber threats. Prior to this role, Kenneth served as the Deputy Lead Integration Engineer for the James Webb Space Telescope’s Integrated Science Instrument Module Electronic Components (ICE)

Since joining NASA in 2008 as an intern, Dr. Harris has held positions of increasing responsibility including; Mechanical Engineer, Integration & Testing Lab Manager, and Senior Systems Engineer.

A lifelong Maryland resident Kenneth, his wife, and son reside in Maryland. When not leading space programs or inspiring students to realize their full potential, Dr.Harris enjoys fine cuisine, traveling internationally, and reading Science-Fiction.

Check out Kenneth’s past talk: