Events Calendar

On Monday, March 19, 2018, the Robert Strauss Center welcomes Dr. Diane Howard, Assistant Professor of Commercial Space Operations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, for a discussion on the law, security, and technology policy issues arising from steadily increasing space traffic. This talk, free and open to the public, will take place at the Texas Law School in the Sheffield-Massey Room, TNH 2.111.

Dr. Diane Howard is Assistant Professor in the Commercial Space Operations program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida USA. She is responsible for curriculum development and teaching space law and policy courses that are core to the program. Diane first became involved in space initiatives in 2004, participating in citizen lobbying efforts to facilitate the passing of the Commercial Space Law Amendments Act of 2004, a critical piece of US legislation that has made possible the development of innovative technologies and a burgeoning commercial space transportation industry.

Dr. Howard has retained her interest in commercial space issues. After working as a staff attorney in the Florida Appellate courts for a number of years, she took the decision to specialize in space law and attended McGill University’s Institute of Air and Space Law. Her LLM thesis centered upon private space law issues and her doctoral work focused upon effective spaceport regulation.

Diane serves as Executive Secretary of the International Institute of Space Law and participates in numerous legal projects, both domestically (within the US) and internationally. She works with COMSTAC Working Groups when invited. The US Department of State named her a private sector advisor and subject matter expert in Expert Group D of the UN COPUOS STSC Long Term Sustainability of Space Activities Working Group, hoping to soon conclude its work. Dr. Howard was legal lead for the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety Suborbital Safety (IAASS) Technical Committee, which recently finalized its guidelines. She continues to publish her research and speaks at space conferences and events throughout the world. In addition to the IISL and the IAASS, Diane is a member of the AIAA and the Florida Bar.