Alan Stern

We asked Alan to speak at Target as part of our annual Design Month conference, a program which celebrates design, creativity and innovation across the entire company. Alan spoke during at time of significant transformation for Target and his story of perseverance, often in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances, resonated with our audience in a way that felt deeply personal and authentic. He was savvy storyteller, able to captivate and hold the attention of the room and demonstrated a passion for his work that made his delivery feel fresh and uniquely tailored to our audience. His remarkable story of the New Horizon's mission to reach Pluto has a universal appeal – I would recommend him as a speaker for organizations of any size.

Alan’s experience and passion makes our new age of space exploration and discovery compelling to everyone. His deep knowledge from many successful missions, capped by the incredible fly by of Pluto, make him the finest public speaker on science alive today.

Alan gave out Joseph Henry Lecture to a full house at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. this year. His presentation on New Horizons and Pluto was exceptional and inspiring. Alan has a rare ability to communicate not only his personal experiences in bringing New Horizons to life, but also the technical challenges and scientific rewards of the program. He held the attention of a very diverse audience - from high school students to seasoned NASA scientists - throughout his very well illustrated lecture, and he was incredibly generous with his time afterwards, answering questions and joining the audience for further discussion afterwards. We all came away with a deeper appreciation for New Horizon and a greater understanding of Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. We could not have asked for a more interesting talk or a more personable speaker.

Alan Stern is in the top league of professional speakers in the field of planetary science. His captivating talks not only engage the audience but invite them on a journey through research and discovery. Dr. Stern’s lecture skills are brilliant and personable- he connects with everyone. Without a doubt, one of the best speakers available.

Alan Stern matches a remarkable record of leadership and scientific research with an authentic passion for sharing the excitement of space exploration. In his riveting keynote presentation at the Flagstaff Festival of Science, he took the audience on a behind-the-scenes tour of our solar system, culminating with the historic flyby of Pluto by New Horizons, a project which he led. He wove together a tale fraught with challenges and intrigue and showed how people can achieve their dreams given healthy doses of grit, hard work, and conviction. This inspirational program left the audience energized and wanting more, and demonstrated why Time Magazine recognizes Stern as one of the world’s 100 most influential people.