Leroy Chiao
- Astronaut & International Space Station Commander
- Co-Founder and President of Black Moon Corporation
- Member of the White House-Appointed Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee
Travels From
Texas
Leroy Chiao Speaker Biography
Ever since he was a little boy, Dr. Leroy Chiao wanted to explore the galaxy. Dr. Leroy Chiao is a renowned American astronaut and international space station commander. Now a veteran of four space missions, Astronaut Chiao has logged over 229 days as a commander at the International Space Station. Working with other astronauts from all over the world, Dr. Chiao has been a leader in the American, Russian, Japanese, European and Chinese space programs. On top of his vast technical knowledge and biomedical expertise, Chiao has used his life of exploration and adventure to inspire others to pursue their dreams and become the definition of greatness.
He speaks from experience on important business topics such as leadership, how to combat complacency, and essentials to bring your business to the next level. A pioneer in the commercial space sector, his accomplished track record in space, in the lab, and in the business world offers audiences an unparalleled perspective into space exploration and how lessons learned apply to businesses worldwide. His broad technical expertise allows him to offer compelling insights on future technology trends, the fascinating biomedical effects of spaceflight, and how businesses must pay attention to technology and innovation to stay on top. In his presentations, Chiao shares breathtaking photos and awe-inspiring stories of leadership, innovation, and running international teams from his four space missions, including nail-biting tales of real emergency situations, and shows audiences how his out-of-this world knowledge can impact their organizations. Few people have reached the heights in their careers that Leroy Chiao continues to experience, and he is happy to offer the benefit of his experience to inspire and enlighten others in all fields.
The co-founder and president of Black Moon Corporation, a space and conservation startup, Chiao is applying his experience as an astronaut to the technology startup world. His entrepreneurial success and accomplished track record enables him to give audiences an unparalleled glimpse into how the lessons and skills he learned as an astronaut can be applied to the business world. Chiao discusses how innovative problem solving, intuitive thinking and efficient leadership – all skills he perfected as an astronaut – can be applied to help any business grow and develop new methods of thinking. Furthermore, his broad technical expertise allows him to offer compelling insights into the future of technology and the need for a renewed focus on meaningful disruption and innovation.
Leroy Chiao has a unique perspective of the world, being one of the few individuals to have seen it from space. Ever since he sat transfixed as a child watching the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, he knew that his destination was the stars. The son of Chinese immigrants, Chiao became one of the most accomplished astronauts in the history of the United States’ space program. He is a veteran of four space missions, and during his stellar, 15-year NASA career, he logged 229 days in space – more than 36 hours of which were spent in Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA), and he earned the honor of commanding the International Space Station.
Dr. Chiao’s impressive resume does not begin or end at Cape Canaveral. Before joining NASA, he earned three degrees in chemical engineering from the University of California (Berkeley and Santa Barbara), and a Q-clearance for nuclear secrets at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Post-NASA, He is a co-founder and President of a space technology startup, a cofounder and CEO of a corporate training and education company, and previously served as the CEO of a biomedical materials company. In addition, Chiao was a member of the White House-appointed Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee, and has testified before the U.S. Senate commerce subcommittee on science and space. He holds appointments at Rice University and the Baylor College of Medicine and is the special advisor for human spaceflight to the Houston Association for Space and Science Education. He serves as part of the NASA Advisory Council, is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, and the Committee of 100. He is also a fellow of the Explorers Club. A trusted expert, Chiao frequently appears on television and other news media addressing science, space exploration, and international issues.
To book astronaut and innovation speaker Dr. Leroy Chiao, contact Executive Speakers Bureau at 901.754.9404.
Leadership and Operational Decision Making – Fundamentals from Spaceflight
In space, effective leadership can make the difference between life and death, success and failure – especially during a crisis. In this presentation, Dr. Leroy Chiao shares provocative and awe-inspiring stories from his four space missions, including nail-biting tales of real emergency situations, and shows audiences how lessons learned from operational spaceflight can impact their organizations. Using his personal experience as the commander of a 193-day mission aboard the International Space Station, he illustrates how reaching for the stars is important, but even more so is honing the operational decision-making skills required to not only stay alive, but thrive.
With the help of breathtaking photos, he outlines the five key leadership lessons learned from his time in space: 1.) Training is not something you can switch on and off; it must be a continuous learning process, 2.) Keep your eye on the long-term goal, but ensure that you are safe in the short-term so you have time and the capacity to accomplish it, 3.) Keep crises in perspective and make sure you don’t exacerbate a problem, 4.) Ask for help if necessary, but never forget you are ultimately responsible, and 5.) Sometimes immediate action is required; anticipate and be prepared for it. Chiao’s talk is great for leaders in all sectors who work in a complex environment, who take calculated risks, and who “push the envelope.”
Technology and Innovation Trends, and Your Business
Understanding where innovation is driving technology trends is key to planning for the future. Dr. Leroy Chiao is no stranger to this world. He offers an exciting glimpse into life on the next quantum level and shares insights on a world in which technology is accelerating much more quickly than ever before – presenting new opportunities for businesses poised to take action. Imagine a world in which you are connected directly to the Internet using thought-controlled computer augmentation and a virtual heads-up display or a world in which sensors can identify you instantly – allowing you to travel smoothly and securely, whether you use commercial travel or your automatically piloted vehicle. Imagine a life where personalized medicine allows treatments tailored to your genetics, where replacement organs are grown to be identical to your own. Through awe-inspiring stories of his time in space and breathtaking photos, Chiao looks at what is coming around the bend and how organizations can take advantage of the next technological phase.
‘Lead Like an Astronaut’ Leadership and Teambuilding [Half Day Program]
This is the OneOrbitTM signature program. During this half-day program, our engaging professional development will energize your key people, and provide them with real-world tools. Dr. Chiao begins the program with one of his above keynote presentations. Professional Educator Jami Sunkel then leads the Color Code core motivation analysis, where participants learn not only about what drives them, but also how to recognize other types and how to shift communication strategies to be effective. Hands-on team activities are interwoven with real world and “out of this world” scenarios to illustrate how to immediately apply these new lessons.
To the Stars! Leaving Complacency Behind.
Complacency in any organization leads to loss of efficiency and opportunities in the best case, and loss of the business or even life in the worst. Complacency is an insidious slow-burning problem, which usually begins and builds without anyone really noticing. In this thought-provoking presentation, Dr. Leroy Chiao discusses success in space exploration and business using his personal spaceflight stories and photographs, as well as failures at NASA and other organizations. Chiao introduces case studies and examines the symptoms, causes and effects of organizational and individual complacency. He discusses mitigation and maintenance strategies to leave complacency behind in your endeavor, to reach the stars!
Endeavor to the Next Level! What does it take to jump to the next level?
It takes the right kind of leadership to foster a culture, which emphasizes the rigor of operational excellence, but also encourages using collaboration, curiosity and creativity to take calculated risks and novel paths. It is also vital that your enterprise stays up to date on technology and innovation trends, to stay in the lead position.
During spaceflight, operational decision-making can make the difference between life and death, success and failure – especially during a crisis. But in some cases, it is the novel solution that saves the day. In this presentation, Dr. Leroy Chiao shares provocative and awe-inspiring stories from his four space missions, including nail-biting tales of real emergency situations, and shows audiences how lessons learned from spaceflight can impact their organizations. Using his personal experience as the commander of a 193-day mission aboard the International Space Station, he illustrates how reaching for the stars is important, but even more so is honing the skills required to not only stay alive, but thrive.
In addition, understanding where innovation is driving technology trends is key to planning for the future. Having been in technology companies and NASA, Dr. Chiao is no stranger to this world. He offers an exciting glimpse into life in the future and shares insights on a world in which technology is accelerating much more quickly than ever before – presenting new opportunities for businesses poised to take action, or threats to those who are slow to adapt. He presents real-world examples of companies, which thrived or suffered depending on their ability to change with the times. Imagine a world in which you are connected directly to the Internet using thought-controlled computer augmentation and a virtual heads-up display. Imagine a life where personalized medicine allows treatments tailored to your genetics, where replacement organs are grown to be identical to your own.
Through awe-inspiring stories of his time in space and breathtaking photos, Chiao looks at what is coming around the bend and how organizations can take advantage of the next technological phase and form the right culture to jump to the next quantum level!
The Future of Spaceflight: Flight Path Beyond the Wild West!
Spaceflight and space exploration began in the realm of countries and the race for global power and influence. Along the way, key technologies were developed and matured, which enabled the future commercial space industry. Astronaut Leroy Chiao grew up during the space race, was inspired to dream of becoming an astronaut by the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and years later, was selected by NASA and flew four missions into space during the heart of the Space Shuttle program and the beginning of the International Space Station (ISS) era. He left NASA in 2005 after serving as the 10th commander of the ISS and began working in the commercial “New Space” environment during its “Wild West” beginnings. This was just two years after the flight of SpaceShipOne, the first commercial crewed vehicle to touch space. Over the years, he has been a part of both successes and failures in this new industry. These experiences and his NASA heritage place Chiao in the perfect position to opine on what is the likely future trajectory of the commercial space sector. In this exciting presentation, Dr. Chiao talks about his personal journey and the evolution of government and commercial spaceflight. He describes the unbridled excitement and enthusiasm during the early “New Space” days and how this allowed breathtaking advances to be achieved, but also for charlatans to run free. The resulting painful shakeout of the industry forced it to mature for the better. Today, excitement and enthusiasm still run high, and many new opportunities are opening. Join Leroy Chiao in this exciting story about spaceflight’s future, which has only just begun!
