Read About the Speakers Below Agenda

Dr. Lena Heffern, is an assistant professor in the Department of Aviation and Aerospace Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Dr. Heffern earned her Ph.D. in Exploration Systems Design from Arizona State University; her master’s in science in Nuclear Engineering from the University of New Mexico; and a bachelor’s in science in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from California State University Chico. With over a decade of experience in space exploration, Dr. Heffern is a committee member on the NASA South Pole-Aitken Sample Return and eXploration (SPARX) science definition team, as well as a science Co-I on the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Lunar-VISE mission.

Prior to joining MSU Denver, Dr. Heffern was a senior systems engineer at Spire Global, where she was responsible for technical proposal strategy, system architecture and mission review oversight. Before Spire, she was also a senior mission systems engineer at the Laboratory for Atmospheric Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder. She also did a post-doc in heliophysics at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder.

Azure Avery, PhD is a professor in the Physics Department at MSU Denver where she has taught for the past 11 years. She completed her PhD at the University of Denver in Condensed Matter Experimental Physics studying thermal and electrical transport. She worked for two years at the National Laboratory of the Rockies, NLR, as a postdoctoral researcher applying thermal and electrical transport measurement techniques to studying films of carbon nanotube networks for renewable energy applications. She maintains an active collaboration with NLR as a joint appointee and helped organize a formal MOU between NLR and MSU Denver to increase opportunities for MSU Denver students to intern and collaborate with NREL scientists. She loves connecting with students of all ages to encourage them to pursue careers in physics and stem in general. In her spare time, she loves traveling with her family, playing music, and pottery. 

Susan Helms is an explorer and risk-taker with a lifetime of first accomplishments for women. A retired Air Force lieutenant general (LTG) and astronaut, Helms was the first military woman in space and holds the world record for the longest spacewalk (eight hours, 56 minutes). She was a member of the first Air Force Academy class which included women (Class of 1980), and as a USAF Flight Test Engineer, flew on over 30 types of aircraft (including the F-15, F-16 and CF-18 fighters). As a NASA Astronaut, she is a five-time space flyer, and was the first woman to serve on the International Space Station (ISS).

Dr. Megan Filbin is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Director of the Center for Advanced STEM Education at MSU Denver. She is a structural biochemist, focusing on how the ribosome – the machine that makes proteins in our cells – is hijacked by RNA viruses and regulated in our brains during development. Megan’s research has been published in notable journals, such as Nature Structure and Molecular Biology, and featured in the Aurora Sentinel and Science Daily. She is passionate about teaching students about RNA structure and function and providing opportunities for them to engage in research; she published an open-source course-based research experience focused on RNA and co-directs a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates in RNA and Genome Biology with collaborators at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Additionally, Megan is an avid supporter of women in STEM. In 2016 she co-founded MSU Denver’s Women in STEM program and from 2019-2024, she served on the national American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s Women in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Committee. In her free time, she enjoys running, biking, camping, and exploring Colorado’s backcountry with her husband and two dogs.

Dr. Ranjidha Rajan is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at MSU Denver and Co-Director of the C3 Lab (Community-Centered Computing Lab). She teaches courses in data visualization, machine learning, and programming languages, with a strong emphasis on experiential, inquiry-based, and project-based learning.

Her work bridges technology, education, and community impact by leveraging data, artificial intelligence, and visualization to support collaborative ecosystems and informed decision-making. As Co-Director of the C3 Lab, she leads projects that connect cross-sector partners through data-driven solutions and emerging technologies while providing students with workforce-ready, real-world learning experiences.

Dr. Rajan is passionate about broadening participation in computing and expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in STEM. She serves as Faculty Advisor for Girls Who Code at MSU Denver and Chair of Women in STEM. Her research interests include AI in education, human-centered AI, data visualization, learning analytics, and digital ecosystems, with a focus on designing technologies that enhance learning, collaboration, and community engagement.

Michala K. Stock, PhD, D-ABFA is a Professor** of Anthropology at Metropolitan State University of Denver and a board-certified forensic anthropologist. As Director of the Human Identification Laboratory, she conducts forensic anthropology case work for multiple jurisdictions throughout the Denver Metro Area and Front Range. She was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and is currently serving as the ABFA Treasurer. For their enduring support, she thanks her mentors, colleagues, and students — but most importantly, her family: Paul, Ruby, and August.