Large group of people in auditorium listening to speaker

Seaver Spotlight

Seaver Spotlight is LMU Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineer’s signature speaker series featuring distinguished leaders in STEM who share their experiences and insights as they seek to live lives of meaning and purpose. 

portrait image of Tom Mueller set against an open background
Wednesday, Oct. 9 | Featherston Life Sciences Building | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Keynote (Auditorium) | 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Reception (Atrium)

Seaver Spotlight with Global Propulsion Expert Tom Mueller, M.S. '92

"It IS Rocket Science: An Engineer's Path to CEO"

Tom Mueller, M.S. ’92, is one of the world’s leading spacecraft propulsion experts, as well as founder and CEO of Impulse Space. As one of SpaceX’s founding members, he is the creator of the Merlin, the most reliable rocket engine in history. He led the development of propulsion systems for the Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon Heavy, as well as the Dragon line of spacecraft. He played a crucial role in the development of the company's reusable rocket technology, which has dramatically reduced the cost of launching payloads into space. Through Impulse Space, Mueller’s ultimate vision is to lead the in-space transportation infrastructure that will accelerate the expansion of the overall space economy.

Past Speakers

Group photo of Josh Mosqueira, Traci Minamide, Kirk Tammadon

"Great Minds of STEM"

Traci Minamide, M.S. '87, Chief Operating Officer, City of Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment

Joshua Mosqueira, Game Director, Bad Robot Games

Kirk Tamaddon, Area Medical Director, Chief of Staff, Kaiser Permanente, West Los Angeles Medical Center

Friday, Oct. 27, 2023

Headshot of Wanda Austin

Wanda Austin, Ph.D.

Former President & CEO, Aerospace Corporation

Former Interim President, USC

"Leadership in a Complex World"

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Deepak Srivastava

Deepak Srivastava, M.D.

President, Gladstone Institutes

Director, Roddenberry Stem Cell Center, Gladstone Institutes

Attending Pediatric Cardiologist, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital

"Hacking the Genetic Code to Treat Human Disease"

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Guy Consolmagno

Guy Consolmagno, S.J.

Director, Vatican Observatory

President, Vatican Observatory Foundation

"Your God is Too Small"

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Stephen Speicher

Stephen Speicher, M.D.

Associate Medical Director of Patient Safety Programs, Flatiron Health

"Innovation in the Time of COVID-19"

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Steve Isakowitz

Steve Isakowitz

Aerospace Corporation President

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Ellen Pawlikowski

Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski

Retired Four-Star General

"The Only Woman in the Room"

Friday, October 4, 2019

Featured panel of executives from San Diego Health Connect, Salesforce and UCLA Health standing with Dean Tina Choe.

"Electronic Health Records: Past, Present and Future Trends"

Panel Discussion

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Gwynne Dragon

Gwynne Shotwell

President and COO, SpaceX

Friday, September 21, 2018

Paul Viviano

Paul Viviano

President and CEO, Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Chair, LMU Board of Trustees

"Do You Want to Hear God Laugh?"

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Robert Sclabassi

Robert Sclabassi, M.D. '62

CEO, Computational Diagnostics, Inc.

Managing Partner, Clinical Neurophysiological Services, LLC

Director of Intraoperative Monitoring Services, Allegheny Health Network

"Life is Not Linear: How LMU Prepares You for the Curves"

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Annette Walker

Annette Walker '79

President of Strategy, Providence St. Joseph Health

Chief Executive, St. Joseph Health

"From Scientist to Strategist: A Mother's Journey"

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Dwayne Wilson

Dwayne Wilson '80

Vice President, FLOUR Corporation

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Thomas Mueller

Thomas Mueller '92

Propulsion Chief Technology Officer, SpaceX

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Shira Shafir

Shira Shafir, Ph.D. '99

Director of Social Innovation & Impact, TOMS

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Dorota Shortell

Dorota Shortell '98

President, Simplexity Product Development

"Success on Your Own Terms: Seizing Opportunity While Focusing on Your Priorities"

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Christian DeVirgillio

Christian DeVirgilio, M.D. '82

Surgeon and Professor of Surgery

"From the Classroom to the Operating Room"

Thursday, November 6, 2014